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GUIDE  TO  THE  ARCHIVES 


OF  THE 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 
IN  WASHINGTON 


BY 


CLAUDE    HALSTEAD   VAN   TYNE 


AND 


WALDO    GIFFORD    LELAND 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE   CARNEGIE   INSTITUTION  OF  V^ASHINGTON 

1904 


\/3 


Carnegie  Institution  of  Washington 

Publication  No.  14 


PAPERS  OF  THE   BUREAU   OF   HISTORICAL   RESEARCH 

ANDREW  c.  McLaughlin,  editor 


Press  of 

Thi  new  Era  Printing  Company 

lancaster,  pa. 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 

The  guide  to  the  archives  of  the  government  at  Washington 
was  begun  in  January^  1903,  by  Mr.  Van  Tyne  and  Mr.  Leland,  who 
carried  the  work  forward  for  some  months.  In  the  autumn  of  that 
year  the  task  of  completing  the  survey  of  the  archives  and  of  arrang- 
ing the  materials  for  publication  naturally  fell  to  the  newly  organized 
Bureau  of  Historical  Research.  This  task  was  not  completed  until  the 
spring  of  1904,  most  of  the  work  being  done  by  Mr.  Leland.  The 
character  and  scope  of  the  volume  were  somewhat  changed  and  de- 
veloped while  the  data  were  being  collected.  The  purpose  at  the  outset 
was  to  gather  information  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  important  historical 
materials,  to  discover  how  they  were  preserved  and  arranged,  and  to 
give  descriptions  of  them  that  would  be  of  service  to  the  historical 
investigator.  As  the  work  proceeded,  it  was  apparent  that  there  could 
be  no  hard  and  fast  line  between  historical  collections  and  ordinary 
administrative  records,  and  that  every  branch  and  division  of  the 
Government  must  be  examined  with  care,  even  if  the  report  on  its 
manuscript  records  should  ultimately  be  passed  over  with  scarcely 
more  than  a  word  in  the  final  report.  It  also  became  clear  that  a 
short  history  of  each  bureau  or  division,  and  a  succinct  statement  of 
its  duties,  methods  of  work,  and  mode  of  keeping  its  records,  would 
be  of  service  to  all  students  interested  in  the  mechanism  of  the  govern- 
ment or  in  the  growth  of  its  administrative  machinery,  and  would  at 
the  same  time  be  the  safest  guide  to  those  seeking  to  know  where 
archives  of  a  certain  character  are  likely  to  be  found.  As  a  result, 
the  work  has  developed  into  a  survey  of  all  the  branches,  bureaus,  and 
divisions  of  the  federal  government  in  Washington,  and  includes  more 
than  a  mere  description  of  their  records  and  collections.  The  his- 
torical data  have  been  gathered  and  the  references  to  printed  author- 
ities and  the  bibliography  have  been  prepared  with  care  and  patience, 
and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  this  feature  will  appeal  to  students  of  his- 
tory and  government. 

The  book,  as  we  have  it  here,  purports  to  be  only  a  general  sur- 
vey. Only  where  materials  are  of  special  interest  historically  is  there 
any  effort  to  give  anything  approaching  detailed  information.  In 
some  cases  it  was  impossible  to  get  details,  in  others  facts  actually 
gathered   seemed   not   appropriate   to   the   present   volume   and    have 

iii 

1   ::  ^  50  I 


iv  PREFATORY  NOTE. 

therefore  not  been  printed.  The  Bureau  of  Historical  Research  is 
continuing  the  study  of  the  archives,  and  hopes  to  make  from  time  to 
time  reports  on  the  portions  that  have  peculiar  interest  to  historical 
investigators. 

A.  C.  McLaughlin. 
Carnegie  Institution  of  Washington, 
August  27,  IQOJf, 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  compilers  of  this  work  were  confronted  at  the  outset  by 
a  series  of  problems,  in  the  solution  of  which  they  were  unaided  by 
anything  that  might  serve  as  a  model.  The  conditions  in  Washing- 
ton are  so  different  from  those  abroad  that  English,  French,  and  Ital- 
ian archive  reports  served  only  to  suggest  certain  classes  of  informa- 
tion that  it  was  desirable  to  obtain,  and  were  of  little  service  in  deter- 
mining the  final  form  of  the  Guide  or  in  indicating  the  best  methods 
for  gathering  the  data.  Furthermore,  there  had  been  no  previous 
attempt  to  make  any  general  examination  of  all  the  records  of  the 
Federal  Government  in  Washington,  nor  indeed  had  any  examination 
of  the  records  of  a  single  department  been  attempted,  though  a  few 
general  statements  as  to  certain  classes  of  material  to  be  found 
in  Washington  had  appeared  in  print.  It  is  worth  while  to  state  at 
length  the  difficulties  that  were  encountered  in  the  prosecution  of 
this  task,  because  they  not  only  serve  to  show  the  character  of  the 
information  to  be  found  in  the  following  pages,  but  also  suggest  to 
historical  investigators  the  conditions  to  be  met  in  any  extended  inves- 
tigations of  the  archives. 

In  the  preliminary  preparations  for  the  work  it  was  realized  that 
the  material  to  be  examined  was  widely  scattered.  There  are  eighteen 
or  twenty  distinct  departments,  commissions,  or  other  governmental 
organizations,  which  are  in  turn  divided  into  considerably  more  than 
a  hundred  bureaus  or  offices;  many  of  these  are  still  further  divided 
into  divisions  or  branches.  Furthermore  the  history  of  many  of  the 
departments  or  bureaus  is  very  complicated,  a  fact  which  frequently 
has  a  serious  effect  upon  the  continuity  of  their  records.  Many  bu- 
reaus have  been  transferred  from  one  department  to  another;  depart- 
ments have  been  reorganized,  old  bureaus  abolished,  new  ones  created, 
duties  redistributed,  and  methods  of  business  changed,  until  it  has 
become  extremely  difficult  to  account  for  the  location  of  certain 
classes  of  material  or  to  discover  the  location  of  others. 

Foremost  among  the  bureaus  into  which  each  of  the  great  executive 
departments  is  divided  is  the  so-called  "Secretary's  Office",  which  con- 
ducts the  business  overseen  by  the  secretary  in  person,  and  the  records 
of  which  are  the  records  of  the  secretary's  official  acts ;  sometimes  these 
records  are  all  kept  together,  sometimes  they  are  divided  among  the 


Vi  INTRODUCTION. 

divisions  of  the  office;  sometimes  they  are  scattered  throughout  the  bu- 
reaus of  the  department.  Each  bureau  usually  keeps  its  own  records; 
but  while  those  of  one  bureau  may  be  found  together^  those  of  another 
are  scattered  among  a  dozen  divisions.  Nor  does  the  dispersion  of  the 
records  always  stop  here;  in  some  divisions  the  files  are  scattered 
among  subordinate  branches  and  there  are  almost  as  many  methods 
as  there  are  file-rooms.  In  one  office,  for  example,  all  the  letters  re- 
ceived from  the  establishment  of  the  office  are  to  be  found  in  a  single 
unbroken  series;  in  another  the  letters  received  are  arranged  in  differ- 
ent series.  Perhaps  for  the  first  ten  years  the  letters  were  kept 
together;  then,  as  their  number  increased,  other  series  were  started; 
later,  again,  some  of  these  series  were  consolidated;  and  still  later 
possibly  the  method  of  keeping  all  papers,  both  letters  received  and 
copies  of  letters  sent,  in  a  single  series  was  adopted.  Thus  papers 
of  the  same  class  are  filed  under  varying  titles. 

The  indexing  of  the  records  varies  also  with  different  file-rooms. 
In  general  the  indexes  make  any  particular  letter  or  paper  easily  ac- 
cessible, but  do  not  aid  in  finding  the  papers  of  any  one  class  or  on 
any  particular  subject,  and  hence  are  of  slight  service  in  preparing 
a  general  description  of  the  records.  The  older  indexes  are  of  little 
value  for  any  purpose  whatsoever;  and  the  index-books  that  were  in 
general  use  until  a  few  years  ago  are  so  complicated  that  their  use  by 
the  uninitiated  is  extremely  difficult.  The  system  of  indexing  by 
means  of  cards  is,  however,  rapidly  coming  into  use. 

Another  difficulty  encountered  was  the  inconvenient  or  even  inac- 
cessible location  of  a  part  of  the  material.  In  several  offices  the 
earlier  records  are  boxed  up  and  stored  in  vaults  or  attics;  in  others 
they  are  hidden  behind  piles  of  lumber  or  large  cases.  In  still  other 
offices,  while  the  records  are  actually  accessible,  considerable  physical 
discomfort  is  attendant  upon  an  examination  of  them. 

The  mere  mass  of  these  records  of  the  government  is  well-nigh 
appalling.  It  is  impossible  to  form  an  estimate  of  the  aggregate 
space  occupied  by  them;  in  a  single  office  of  the  Treasury  Department, 
for  example,  they  cover  over  ten  miles  of  shelving ;  the  volumes  of  dip- 
lomatic and  consular  correspondence  in  the  State  Department  are  to 
be  numbered  by  thousands;  a  few  years  ago  the  Adjutant-General 
reported  that  in  addition  to  several  tons  of  Confederate  records  already 
described  there  were  over  ten  tons  of  books  and  papers,  the  character 
of  which  had  not  as  yet  been  ascertained.  In  some  departments 
entire  buildings  are  rented  for  no  other  purpose  than  that  of  filling 


INTRODUCTION,  yji 

them  from  cellar  to  attic  with  records  and  files  that  are  not  in  imme- 
diate demand  in  the  prosecution  of  current  work. 

Finally  the  widely  varying  value  of  the  different  classes  of 
records  constitutes  a  problem  in  itself.  From  the  papers  of  the  Con- 
tinental Congress  or  the  journals  of  the  Confederate  Congress  to  the 
correspondence  relating  to  the  pay  or  dismissal  of  a  janitor  there  is 
a  considerable  depreciation  in  value;  in  general^  however,  there  may 
be  said  to  be  two  classes  of  files:  those  that  constitute  the  administra- 
tive records,  and  those  that  are  almost  entirely  of  historical  interest 
and  actually  exist  as  completed  collections.  Of  this  latter  class  may 
be  mentioned,  for  example,  the  Continental  Congress  papers,  inherited 
from  the  old  government;  the  Franklin  and  Madison  papers,  acquired 
by  purchase;  the  archives  of  the  Confederate  government,  captured 
upon  the  fall  of  the  Confederacy;  and  the  collection  of  Revolutionary 
orderly  books  and  journals  segregated  from  the  administrative  records 
of  the  Pension  Office.  The  papers  of  this  class  are  in  general  readily 
accessible,  are  often  indexed  or  catalogued  in  such  a  way  as  to  be 
serviceable  to  the  student,  and  are  properly  arranged  and  cared  for. 
Many  of  these  collections  are  being  transferred  to  the  Library  of 
Congress. 

The  administrative  records  comprise  the  files  relating  to  the  actual 
administration  of  the  government  and  consist  largely  of  correspond- 
ence, accounts,  reports,  and  similar  papers.  To  this  class  belong  the 
diplomatic  and  consular  correspondence,  the  correspondence  of  the 
Navy  Department  with  officers  of  the  Navy,  military  reports  of  army 
officers,  and  other  material  of  the  greatest  value,  along  with  tons  of 
adjusted  accounts  and  thousands  of  file-boxes  filled  with  letters  re- 
lating to  the  most  unimportant  details  of  routine  business.  Further- 
more, in  almost  any  series  of  volumes  the  worthless  letters  far  exceed 
in  number  those  having  historical  importance. 

With  these  conditions  confronting  the  compilers,  they  realized 
that  any  inventory,  anything  approaching  a  complete  catalogue,  was 
out  of  the  question,  and  they  resolved  to  prepare  a  guide  that  should 
show  in  what  office  or  department  any  particular  class  of  material 
is  to  be  found,  and  that  should  describe,  though  in  the  most  general 
terms,  the  material  actually  there.  They  attempted  to  ascertain,  in 
the  case  of  any  one  office  or  division,  the  different  classes  of  material 
on  file,  their  general  character  and  probable  value,  the  dates  of  the 
earliest  files,  and  the  extent  of  the  records  as  a  whole.  In  some  cases 
more  than  this  was  possible;  in  others,  less;  while  in  a  few  instances 
the  material  was  of  so  little  value  that  they  felt  justified  in  omitting 


Viii  INTRODUCTION. 

all  description  of  it.  Furthermore,  inasmuch  as  one  purpose  of  the 
Guide  was  to  enable  an  investigator  to  know  where  he  should  search 
for  any  particular  class  of  material,  it  was  decided  to  include  under 
each  bureau  an  account  of  its  history  and  duties,  the  compilers  realizing 
from  their  own  experience  that  such  information  sheds  considerable 
light  upon  the  exact  character  and  extent  of  the  records. 

The  method  of  examining  the  records  necessarily  varied.  In  most 
instances  a  file-clerk  was  detailed  to  answer  questions  and  to  explain 
methods  of  indexing  and  arrangement.  In  a  few  offices  a  detailed 
examination,  almost  volume  by  volume,  was  made;  in  others  a  rapid 
walk  through  file-rooms  containing  miles  of  shelving  was  either  suffi- 
cient or  was  all  that  was  permitted.  In  two  or  three  offices  those 
in  charge  requested  that  a  list  of  questions  relating  to  the  records 
be  submitted,  and  from  the  written  replies  to  these  questions  the  reports 
for  those  offices  were  compiled.  Finally  a  supplementary  search  in 
printed  material,  mostly  in  the  executive  documents,  was  made  for 
information  bearing  directly  or  indirectly  upon  the  files  of  the  various 
departments  and  bureaus.  In  some  cases  the  information  thus  gained 
constituted  a  valuable  addition  to  that  derived  from  a  personal  exam- 
ination or  questioning. 

The  criticism  will  probably  be  made  that  due  proportion  has  not 
been  observed;  that  some  records  of  great  value  receive  only  a  general 
description,  whereas  other  material  of  much  less  value  has  received  a 
greater  amount  of  space.  The  foregoing  account  of  the  conditions 
met  with  should  be  a  sufficient  reply  to  this  justifiable  charge.  In  a 
few  cases  access  to  important  material  for  the  purpose  of  making  any 
more  than  the  most  general  description  was  not  permitted  by  the 
authorities,  while  in  others  detailed  lists  were  furnished  by  the  author- 
ities themselves;  furthermore,  it  not  infrequently  happened  that  im- 
portant classes  of  records  were  of  such  great  extent  as  to  render 
impossible  the  detailed  description  which  was  practicable  for  other 
records,  less  important  perhaps,  but  also  of  less  formidable  bulk. 

The  compilers  desire  to  express  their  appreciation  of  the  uniform 
courtesy  with  which  they  have  been  received  in  the  departments.  In 
many  cases  officials  have  not  only  afi*orded  every  facility  for  making 
an  examination  of  the  records  in  their  charge,  but  have  furnished  lists 
and  other  valuable  information  or  have  oifered  suggestions  of  great 
service.  Especially  valuable  help  and  suggestions  have  been  afforded 
by  Mr.  Andrew  Hussey  Allen  of  the  State  Department,  by  General 
F.  C.  Ainsworth  and  General  A.  W.  Greely  of  the  War  Department, 
by  Mr.  S.  M.  Gaines,  Mr.  W.  I.  Simpson,  and  Mr.  Lewis  Jordan  of 


INTRODUCTION.  ix 

the  Treasury  Department^  by  Mr.  George  F.  Stone  of  the  Post-OfEce 
Department,  by  Mr.  Charles  W.  Stewart  of  the  Navy  Department,  and 
by  Mr.  W.  Bertrand  Acker  of  the  Interior  Department.  To  the 
Librarian  of  Congress,  Mr.  Herbert  Putnam,  and  to  Mr.  Worthington 
C.  Ford,  chief  of  the  Division  of  Manuscripts,  the  debt  of  the  authors 
is  very  great,  not  only  because  of  the  splendid  resources  of  the  Library 
of  Congress,  which  were  placed  at  their  disposal,  but  because  of  the 
great  interest  shown  and  the  helpful  suggestions  made  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  the  work. 

C.  H.  Van  Tyne. 

W.    G.    Leland, 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 

Introduction iii 

The  White  House 1 

Depaetment  op  State 2 

Bureau    of    Indexes    and    Archives 3 

Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library 8 

Diplomatic   Bureau    29 

Consular   Bureau    29 

Bureau   of   Appointments 30 

Bureau    of    Accounts 30 

Bureau    of   Trade    Relations 30 

Treasury  Departmext 31 

Division  of  Mail  and   Files 32 

Division  of  Book-Keeping  and  Warrants 41 

Miscellaneous  Division    42 

Register  of  the  Treasury 49 

Treasurer  of  the  United  States 51 

Comptroller   of   the   Treasury 54 

Auditor  for  the  Treasury  Department 55 

Auditor    for   the    War    Department 58 

Auditor   for  the   Interior  Department 59 

Auditor    for    the    Navy    Department 61 

Auditor  for  the  State  and  other  Departments 62 

Auditor  for  the  Post-Office  Department 64 

Commissioner  of  Internal  Revenue 67 

Comptroller   of  the   Currency 68 

Bureau  of  Engraving  and  Printing   69 

Director    of    the    Mint 69 

Secret    Service    Division    70 

OflSce   of  the   Supervising   Architect 70 

Bureau  of  Public  Health  and  Marine-Hospital  Service 71 

Life-Saving    Service    71 

Department  of  War 72 

Record  Division,  Office  of  the  Secretary  of  War 75 

Division  of  Military  Information,  Office  of  the  Chief  of  Staff 75 

Record    and    Pension   Office 76 

Office   of  the   Adjutant-General 87 

Office  of  the  Inspector-General 88 

Office  of  the  Judge-Advocate-General 91 

Office   of   the   Quartermaster-General 93 

Office    of    the    Commissary-General 94 

Office   of   the   Surgeon-General 94 

xi 


xii  TABLE    OF   CONTENTS. 

OflSce  of  the  Paymaster-General 95 

Chief    of    Engineers 96 

OflBce  of  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds 99 

Office  of  the  Chief  of  Ordnance 102 

Office  of  the  Chief  Signal  Officer 104 

Bureau   of   Insular   Affairs 105 

Department  of  Justice 109 

Office    of    Chief   Clerk 110 

Office  of  the  Attorney  in  Charge  of  Pardons Ill 

Office  of  the  Appointment  Clerk Ill 

Solicitor  of  the  Treasury 112 

Office  of  the  Assistant  Attorney-General  in  Charge  of  Cases  Before 

the  Court  of  Claims    113 

Office  of  Assistant  Attorney-General  in  Charge  of  Indian  Depredation 

Cases 113 

Post-Office  Department 114 

Office  of  the  Postmaster-General 115 

Office  of  the  First  Assistant  Postmaster-General 115 

Office  of  the  Second   Assistant  Postmaster-General 116 

Office  of  the  Third  Assistant  Postmaster-General 116 

Office  of  the  Fourth  Assistant  Postmaster-General 116 

Navy  Department , 117 

Naval  War  Records  Office 119 

Bureau    of    Navigation    135 

Bureau  of  Construction  and  Repair   136 

Office  of  the  Judge- Advocate-General 138 

Headquarters  of  the  Marine  Corps  138 

Department  of  the  Interior 139 

Patents  and  Miscellaneous  Division,  Office  of  the  Secretary 139 

Appointment  Division,  Office  of  the  Secretary 144 

Indian  Division,  Office  of  the  Secretary 145 

Office  of   Indian  Affairs 146 

Bureau   of   Pensions 149 

General  Land   Office 160 

Patent  Office    166 

Bureau   of   Education    167 

Office  of  the  Geological  Survey  169 

Department  of  Agriculture 170 

Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor 171 

Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey    171 

Commissioner  of   Navigation 173 

Office  of  Steamboat  Inspection 173 

Light-House    Board    174 

Bureau   of  Labor    174 

Bureau   of   Immigration    175 

Bureau  of  Corporations    175 


TABLE    OF   CONTENTS.  xiii 

Civil  Service  Commission 176 

Interstate  Commerce  Commission 177 

The  Smithsonian  Institution 179 

Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States 182 

Court  of  Claims 184 

House  of  Representatives 186 

Senate  187 

Library  of  Congress 187 

Division  of  Manuscripts 187 

Division  of  Maps  and  Charts 202 

Bibliography 203 

Index   209 


THE  GOVERNMENT  ARCHIVES 
AT  WASHINGTON. 


THE   WHITE    HOUSE. 

The  custom  which  has  prevailed  for  retiring  Presidents  to  take 
with  them  as  personal  property  all  the  letters^  papers,  and  other  rec- 
ords of  their  respective  administrations,  has  resulted  in  scattering 
abroad  much  historical  material  of  the  utmost  value.  The  papers  of 
many  of  the  administrations  thus  exist  at  present  as  collections  in 
various  parts  of  the  country.  The  Library  of  Congress,  for  example, 
has  in  its  possession  several  of  these  collections,  including  the  Jack- 
son and  Van  Buren  papers,  and  the  larger  part  of  the  Polk  papers. 
Other  Polk  papers  are  in  the  library  of  the  Historical  Society  of 
Chicago,  while  the  Adams  papers  are  deposited  with  the  Massachusetts 
Historical  Society,  and  the  Buchanan  papers  are  in  the  possession  of 
the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania.  Other  papers  are  more  or  less 
scattered.  It  is  true  that  in  the  archives  of  the  various  executive  depart- 
ments is  to  be  found  in  large  part  the  correspondence  of  the  Presidents 
with  the  respective  departments,  but  this  material  is  so  scattered  that  it 
would  be  impossible  for  the  student  to  use  it  in  any  collected  form. 
The  only  records,  other  than  the  papers  of  the  present  administration, 
now  to  be  found  in  the  White  House  are  some  five  volumes  of  Grant's 
letter-books. 

1.  Letter-booJcs  of  President  Grant  (5  vols.). 

These  books  contain  copies  of  Grant's  letters  to  members  of  the 
Cabinet,  to  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds,  to  the 
public,  both  individuals  and  societies,  to  congressmen,  to  financiers,  etc. 
They  cover  such  subjects  as  nominations,  resignations,  appointments, 
detailing  of  men  for  duty  at  the  White  House,  acceptance  of  Cabinet 
positions,  invitations  to  attend  meetings  of  societies,  appointments  to 
the  Naval  and  Military  Academies,  courtesies  of  foreign  governments, 
the  panic  of  1873,  etc.  Most  of  the  material  is  of  slight  historical 
interest,  but  of  the  few  important  letters  may  be  mentioned  one  dated 
June  27,  1870,  stating  that  Grant  had  given  verbal  instructions  to 
2  1 


2  DEPARTMENT   OF  STATE. 

General  Babcock  to  go  to  San  Domingo  and  learn  the  wishes  of  the 
people  and  of  the  government  regarding  annexation  to  the  United 
States.  Another  letter  of  October  17,  1870,  concerns  the  same  matter. 
There  is  also  a  very  interesting  letter  to  A.  G.  Cattell,  of  March  21, 
1871.  Many  of  the  letters  are  purely  personal,  and  some  even  of  Mrs. 
Grant's  letters  are  to  be  found  here. 


DEPARTMENT    OF    STATE. 

The  history  and  functions  of  the  Department  of  State  are  clearly 
set  forth  in  W.  H.  Michael's  *'  History  of  the  Department  of  State  " 
(Washington,  1901).  Earlier  accounts  are:  "  Department  of  State  of 
the  United  States:  how  it  was  formed;  what  are  its  duties,  and  how 
it  is  run  "  (Washington,  1898:  prepared  for  the  exhibit  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  State  at  the  Omaha  exposition) ;  "  The  Department  of  State 
of  the  United  States :  Its  History  and  Functions  ",  by  Gaillard  Hunt 
(Washington,  1893);  and  "  Department  of  State,  1789-1866  ",  by  D. 
D.  T.  Leech,  in  the  form  of  articles  in  the  National  Intelligencer  for 
June  8,  10,  and  U,  1867.  The  so-called  "Cockrell  Report"  (Sen.  Rept. 
No.  507,  pt.  3,  50  Cong.,  1  sess.)  contains  a  detailed  account  of  the 
work  performed  in  the  various  bureaus  as  they  were  organized  in  1887. 

The  State  Department  contains  the  most  valuable  body  of  material 
covering  the  years  from  1789  to  date,  in  the  United  States,  for  here 
alone  is  found  the  complete  record  of  our  foreign  relations.  These 
records  contain  a  far  larger  proportion  of  valuable  papers  than  do  those 
of  any  other  department,  for  there  is  here  no  enormous  mass  of  purely 
administrative  records  in  which  the  documents  of  historical  value  are 
buried.  In  addition  to  the  records  that  accumulate  in  the  course  of  the 
work  of  the  department  are  many  collections  obtained  by  the  govern- 
ment and  deposited  here.  Some  of  the  most  valuable  of  these  collec- 
tions, however,  are  now  in  process  of  being  transferred  to  the  Library 
of  Congress  in  accordance  with  a  recent  executive  order  (see  below 
under  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library).  A  number  of  accounts  of  the 
State  Department's  archives  have  been  published,  the  most  general  of 
which  is  to  be  found  in  Winsor's  "America"  (viii,  414  fF.).  Refer- 
ences to  other  accounts  will  be  foimd  in  the  descriptions  of  the  various 
bureaus. 

While  the  files  of  the  department  comprise  several  thousand  volumes 
and  bundles,  the  work  of  investigation  is  not  especially  difficult,  as  the 
excellent  arrangement  does  much  to  make  the  material  readily  acces- 
sible. 


BUREAU   OF   INDEXES   AND   ARCHIVES.  3 

The  department  was  organized  in  1789,  and  its  archives  are  prac- 
tically continuous  from  that  date.  There  fortunately  have  been  no 
serious  losses  by  fire.  In  1814  the  Secretary  of  State  reported  that 
there  had  been  no  loss  of  manuscripts  during  the  incursion  of  the 
enemy  ("American  State  Papers,  Misc.",  11,  252).  For  the  few 
papers  destroyed  as  being  of  no  value  see  H.  Ex.  Doc.  128,  52  Cong., 
1  sess. 

The  general  rule  relating  to  the  use  of  the  archives  of  the  depart- 
ment is  as  follows: 

The  privilege  of  access  to  the  manuscript  archives  of  the  Department  of 
State  may  be  secured,  so  far  as  the  facilities  at  command  and  the  convenience 
of  the  office  admit,  upon  application  by  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  State.  Ap- 
plicants should  describe  as  concisely  and  definitely  as  may  be  possible  the 
papers  they  desire  to  consult,  the  scope  of  the  examination  contemplated,  and 
the  period  of  time  during  which  they  purpose  to  avail  themselves  of  the  per- 
mission, if  accorded. 

BUREAU   OF    INDEXES   AND   ARCHIVES. 

In  the  Bureau  of  Indexes  and  Archives  is  preserved  all  the  corre- 
spondence of  the  State  Department.  It  is  arranged  in  three  classes — 
diplomatic,  consular,  and  miscellaneous.  While  the  diplomatic  and 
consular  correspondence  is  conducted  by  the  Diplomatic  and  Consular 
Bureaus  respectively,  it  is  finally  deposited  in  the  Bureau  of  Indexes 
and  Archives;  hence  the  Diplomatic  and  Consular  Bureaus  have  no 
archives  of  their  own.  In  general,  it  may  be  said  that  these  archives 
are  accessible  to  the  student,  either  through  a  personal  examination  or 
through  written  requests  for  information.  In  the  former  case  the 
student  is  ordinarily  allowed  to  examine  the  material  and  to  take  such 
notes  as  he  wishes,  but  his  notes  are  inspected  by  the  chief  of  the 
bureau,  who  may  withhold  such  of  them  as  he  judges  should  not  be 
taken  away.  In  making  a  personal  examination,  the  student  receives 
all  the  aid  which  the  clerical  force  of  the  bureau  can  afford  without 
interference  with  its  regular  work.  In  case  a  written  request  for 
information  is  made,  the  request  should  be  as  specific  as  possible. 
The  limited  number  of  the  clerical  force  and  the  great  amount  of 
departmental  work  do  not  permit  of  extended  researches,  but  as  much 
attention  as  possible  is  given  to  requests  for  information. 

These  archives,  even  those  of  the  earliest  date,  are  in  constant  use  by 
the  department.  Their  especial  value  lies  in  the  precedents  that  they 
reveal.  For  a  detailed  statement  of  the  methods  of  arrangement  and 
indexing  see  Michael's  "  History  and  Functions  of  the  Department  of 
State"    (74-79).     The    arrangement   is    sufficiently   indicated    below. 


4  DEPARTMENT   OF  STATE. 

The  current  indexing  is  done  in  folio  record-books.  Each  paper  is  in- 
dexed under  some  catchword  in  the  folio  book  of  that  class  to  which  it 
belongs,  and  the  name  of  the  sender  or  recipient,  the  date  of  sending  or 
receiving,  and  an  abstract  of  the  contents  are  recorded.  The  corre- 
spondence from  1889  to  date  is  also  indexed  by  means  of  the  card- 
system,  which  is  being  extended  back  toward  1789;  it  will  therefore 
eventually  apply  to  the  entire  body  of  archives.  In  this  card-index 
each  card  represents  a  single  communication  and  contains  the  same 
information  relating  to  that  communication  that  is  contained  in  the 
folio  index.  The  cards  are  arranged  by  subjects,  so  that  under  each 
subject  is  indexed  all  the  correspondence  on  file  that  relates  to  it. 
Finally,  under  each  class  of  correspondence,  with  a  few  exceptions, 
there  is  a  card-index  for  the  years  1874-1881. 

The  following  list,  which  is  taken  from  an  inventory  prepared  in 
1896  by  Mr.  King,  chief  of  the  bureau,  comprises  such  parts  of  that 
inventory  as  it  was  deemed  proper  by  the  department  should  be  made 
public  and  some  few  additional  notes  made  in  the  course  of  a  personal 
investigation.  It  will  be  noticed  that  in  each  class,  with  a  few  ex- 
ceptions, the  number  of  volumes  only  to  1896  is  given.  The  amount  of 
accumulation  since  that  date  has  not  been  ascertained  by  the  bureau, 
but  is  said  not  to  exceed  twenty-five  volumes  in  any  one  class. 

I.    Diplomatic  Archives. 

1.  Instructions  to  United  States  ambassadors  and  ministers,  1791—1896 

(166  vols.). 

The  first  instructions  on  file  are  from  Jefferson  and  are  dated  Feb- 
ruary, 1791. 

Arrangement:  Recorded  in  13  consecutive  volumes  and  3  volumes 
marked  "American  States"  until  1833;  since  then  each  country  has 
had  its  own  series  of  record-books. 

Indexes:  (a)  1789-1870,  in  the  front  of  record-books,  (h)  1870  to 
date  in  folio  index-books,  which  also  include  the  indexes  for  the  "  Notes 
from  the  Department  ",  1870  to  date  (see  i,  3,  below),  (c)  1874-1881, 
included  also  in  a  card-index. 

2.  Despatches  from  United  States  ambassadors  and  ministers,  1789- 

1896  (1,723  vols.). 

> 
The  despatches  from  the  legation  in  England   (Morris)   commence 

in  1789;  those  from  the  legation  in  France  (Short)  in  the  same  year; 

those  from  the  legation  in  Spain  and  Portugal,  in  1 790 ;  in  Spain  alone, 

1793;  in  Prussia,  a  few  despatches  from  J.  Q.  Adams,  in  1800;  in 

Russia,  in  1809. 


BUREAU   OF   INDEXES   AND   ARCHIVES.  5 

Arrangement:    Bound  and  arranged  alphabetically  by  countries. 
Indexes:    (a)   To   1870,  in  73  volumes,  which  likewise  include  the 
indexes  of  "  Notes  to  the  Department  "  from  about  1828  to  1870  (see  i, 

4.  below),      (b)    1870  to  date  in  folio  index-books,      (c)    1874-1881, 
included  also  in  a  card-index. 

5.  Notes  from  the  Department  (i.  e.,  Notes  to  foreign  ambassadors  and 

ministers  in  Washington),  1789  to  date  (102  vols.). 

Arrangement:  (a)  1789—1804,  recorded  in  "Domestic  Letters". 
(6)  1804—1834,  recorded  in  5  consecutive  volumes  (the  first  of 
which,  1804—1810,  has  been  lost,  but  an  index  to  it  remains),  (c) 
Since  1834,  recorded  in  volumes  by  countries. 

Indexes:  (a)  1789—1804,  in  front  of  "Notes  from  the  Depart- 
ment ",  vol.  II.  (6)  1804—1870,  in  the  front  of  the  record-books,  (c) 
Since  1870  in  the  folio  index-books  for  "  Instructions  to  United  States 
ambassadors  and  ministers  "  (see  i,  1,  above),  (d)  1874-1881,  in- 
cluded also  in  a  card-index. 

4.  Notes  to  the  Department  (i.  e..  Notes  from  foreign  ambassadors  and 
ministers  at  Washington),  1789-1896  (409  vols.). 

The  notes  from  the  British  legation  commence  in  1791;  from  the 
French  legation  in  1801 ;  from  the  Spanish  legation  in  1794;  from  the 
Russian  legation  in  1808;  from  the  Portuguese  legation  in  1805;  from 
the  Hanseatic  States  legation  in  1816. 

Arrangement:    Bound  in  volumes  by  countries. 

Indexes:  (a)  1789-1828,  no  indexes,  (b)  1828-1870,  in  the  73 
volumes,  which  also  include  the  indexes  to  "  Despatches  from  United 
States  Ambassadors  and  Ministers  ",  1789-1870  (see  i,  2,  above),  (c) 
Since  1870,  in  the  folio  index-books  for  "Despatches  from  United 
States  ambassadors  and  ministers",  1870  to  date  (see  i,  2,  above). 

6.  Letters  from   United  States  ministers,  1789—1830   (5^  vols.). 
Arrangement:    These  are  bound  separately   from  their  despatches 

and  are  mostly  duplicates  of  them. 

Printed  material. — There  are  two  principal  collections  of  printed  diplomatic 
correspondence :  "  American  State  Papers.  Class  I.  Foreign  Relations  ",  6  vols. 
(Washington,  1832-1859),  which  cover  the  period  from  1789  to  1828,  and  the 
annual  publications  in  the  congressional  series  entitled  "  Papers  relating  to  the 
Foreign  Relations  of  the  United  States  ",  from  1861  to  date.  The  diplomatic 
correspondence  between  1828  and  1861  is  to  be  found  scattered  through  the 
congressional  documents.  A  list  of  the  principal  collections  during  this  period 
may  be  found  in  A.  B.  Hart's  "  Trial  Bibliography  of  American  Diplomacy ", 
in  the  "American  Historical  Review"  (vi,  862),  reprinted  in  his  "Foundations 


(J  DEPARTMENT   OF   STATE. 

of  American  Foreign  Policy"  (New  York  and  London,  1901),  280-285.  The 
Bureau  of  Indexes  and  Archives  has  segregated  from  the  congressional  series 
the  documents  pertaining  to  the  State  Department  or  to  foreign  diplomatic 
affairs  •  and  bound  them  together  in  a  collection  of  several  hundred  volumes, 
which  since  1825  is  practically  complete.  Probably,  however,  by  far  the  larger 
part  of  the  diplomatic  archives  is  unprinted.  Investigation  in  the  volumes 
prior  to  1800  reveals  the  fact  that  the  "  State  Papers  "  contain  by  no  means  all 
the  correspondence,  and  frequently  not  the  least  interesting  is  omitted,  e.  g., 
a  large  number  of  despatches  from  Thomas  Pinckney  in  the  years  before  Jay's 
special  mission  to  England. 

II.    Consular  Archives. 

1.  Instructions  to  United  States  consuls,  1789—1896  {15Jf  vols.). 
Arrangement:  (a)  1789-1800,  recorded  in  "  Domestic  Letters  "  (see 

III,  1,  below).  (6)  1800-1896,  recorded  in  separate  record-books  (154 
vols.).  These  record-books,  previous  to  1870,  contain  also  some  "  Do- 
mestic Letters  "  pertaining  to  consular  matters.  Since  1870  they  con- 
tain nothing  but  instructions  to  consular  officers  in  chronological  order. 
Indexes:  (a)  1789-1800,  in  "  Domestic  Letters  "  (see  iii,  1,  below), 
index  of  names  only,  (b)  1800-1833,  index  of  names  in  the  record- 
books  of  instructions,  (c)  1833—1870,  in  17  volumes  of  indexes,  {d) 
Since  1870  in  8  folio  index-books,  (e)  1874-1881,  included  also  in  a 
card-index. 

2.  Despatches  from  United  States  consuls,  1789-1896  {2,589  vols.). 
Indexes:  (a)  1789-1825,  no  indexes,  (fo)  1825-1870,  in  38  vol- 
umes of  indexes  to  consular  despatches  and  4  unnumbered  volumes  of 
indexes,  (c)  Since  1870,  in  10  folio  index-books,  (d)  1874-1881, 
included  also  in  a  card-index. 

3.  Despatches  from  consular  clerks,  mostly  of  late  date  (5  vols.). 
4-  Notes  to  foreign  consuls,  1853-1881   {3  vols.). 

5.  Notes  from  foreign  consuls,  1858—1891   (11  vols.). 

Printed  material. — The  consular  archives  are  not  regularly  published,  but  it 
frequently  happens  that  certain  papers  are  printed  in  congressional  documents 
or  are  selected  by  the  Bureau  of  Trade  Relations  (see  below,  page  30)  for  pub- 
lication by  the  Bureau  of  Statistics. 

III.     MiSCELLAXEOUS   ARCHIVES. 

The  Miscellaneous  Archives  are  exceedingly  valuable  and  interest- 
ing, and  in  the  inventory  mentioned  above  they  occupy  several  pages. 
The  following  brief  statement,  however,  is  all  that  the  departmental 
authorities  would  permit  to  be  made  in  this  report.  Some  of  the  early 
notes  from  and  to  the  legations  are  here  to  be  found. 


BUREAU    OF   INDEXES   AND    ARCHIVES.  7 

1.  Domestic  Letters  (i.  e.,  letters  from  the  Department  to  others  than 

ministers,  consuls,  and  Congress), 1789  ( 17 8^.)— 1896  (214-  vols.). 
Arrangement:  (a)  The  first  four  volumes  (1784—1792)  are  in  the 
library,  labeled  "  American  Letters,  4  volumes.  No.  120."  (6)  The 
twelfth  and  thirteenth  volumes  (1799-1802)  are  missing — "supposed 
to  have  been  lost  during  the  War  of  1812  ".  (c)  Many  letters  prior  to 
1870,  when  pertaining  to  consular  matters,  are  to  be  found  in  the  con- 
sular record-books. 

Indexes:  (a)  Each  volijme  prior  to  1870  contains  an  index  of 
names  of  persons  to  whpm  written.  (6)  There  are  folio  index-books 
for  the  letters  from  May  1,  1802,  to  January  14,  1811,  and  from 
January  1,  1840,  to  date.  These  folios  since  1870  contain  indexes  to 
the  "  Report  Books  "  (see  iii,  3,  below),  (c)  Many  letters  from  the 
department  prior  to  1870  pertaining  to  consular  matters  are  indexed  by 
consulates  in  the  volumes  of  indexes  to  "  Instructions  to  consuls  "  (see 
II,   1,  above).       (d)    1874—1881,  included  also  in  a  card-index. 

2.  Miscellaneous  Letters  («.  e.,  letters  to  the  Department  from  others 

than  ministers  and  consuls),  1789—1896  (about  1,076  vols.). 

Many  letters  pertaining  to  consular  matters  prior  to  1870  are  bound 
with  the  despatches  from  the  consulates  to  which  they  relate. 

Indexes:  These  letters  are  indexed  throughout  by  various  methods 
for  different  periods.  A  printed  "  Calendar  of  the  Miscellaneous  Let- 
ters received  by  the  Department  of  State  from  the  Organization  of  the 
Government  to  1820  "  (Washington,  1897),  is  regarded  as  confidential. 

3.  Report  Books,  1790-1896  (1796-1817  missing)  (19  vols.). 
Letters  to  the  Senate  and  House,  messages  from  the  President  to 

Congress  on  matters  pertaining  to  the  Department  of  State,  and  let- 
ters to  congressional  committees.  Many  of  the  reports  are  printed 
in  congressional  documents. 

Indexes:  (a)  Each  volume  to  1870  contains  an  index,  (h)  The 
indexes  since  1870  are  in  the  folio  index-books  for  the  "Domestic 
Letters  "  (see  iii,  1,  above). 

4.  Miscellaneous  Volumes  (see  iii,  5,  belotv). 

5.  Miscellaneous  Papers  (over  300  vols.). 

"  Miscellaneous  Volumes  "  and  "  Miscellaneous  Papers  "  contain  let- 
ters from  the  public,  both  in  this  country  and  abroad,  from  the  execu- 
tive departments  and  from  congressmen  and  other  officials;  papers 
relating  to  claims;  reports  of  special  agents  on  various  subjects;  etc. 


8  DEPARTMENT   OF   STATE. 

Among  the  important  papers  included  under  these  headings  are  16 
volumes  and  11  packages  which  relate  to  the  following  territories: 
Alabama,  Arizona,  Arkansas,  California,  Colorado,  Dakota,  District  of 
Columbia,  Florida,  Idaho,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Kansas,  Maine,  Michigan, 
Minnesota,  Mississippi,  Missouri,  Montana,  Nebraska,  Nevada,  New 
Mexico,  Ohio,  Oregon,  Orleans  Territory,  Utah,  Washington,  Western 
Territory,  and  Wyoming.  In  general,  "  Miscellaneous  Volumes  "  and 
"  Miscellaneous  Papers  "  are  of  comparatively  recent  date,  although 
there  are  a  few  dating  from  1789. 

BUREAU   OF    ROLLS   AND   LIBRARY. 

The  duties  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library  are  indicated  below 
in  connection  with  the  description  of  its  various  classes  of  records  (see 
also  Michael,  "History  of  the  State  Department",  60  fF.).  The  bureau 
contains  practically  all  the  material  in  the  department  of  any  his- 
torical value,  except  that  described  above  under  the  Bureau  of  Indexes 
and  Archives.  For  general  accounts  of  this  material  reference  may  be 
made  to  the  article  by  A.  H.  Allen,  chief  of  the  bureau,  on  "  The  His- 
torical Archives  of  the  Department  of  State  ",  in  the  **  Annual  Report 
of  the  American  Historical  Association  for  1894"  (281—298),  to 
another  article  in  the  same  volume  (549—561),  by  A.  H.  Clark,  on 
*'  What  the  United  States  Government  Has  Done  for  History  ",  and  to 
Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  22,  53  Cong.,  3  sess.  (largely  reprinted  in  Michael)^. 
The  various  "  Bulletins  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library  "  (Nos. 
1—10,  1893—1903),  constitute  the  best  guide  hitherto  published  to  these 
archives,  and  contain  calendars  of  some  of  the  most  important  collec- 
tions. Most  of  the  papers  in  the  bureau  have  been  grouped  into  a  num- 
ber of  chapters  (see  Bulletin  No.  7,  pp.  9-11),  and  the  arrangement 
thus  adopted  is  followed  as  far  as  possible  in  this  report.  Although 
much  of  the  material  in  the  bureau  is  not  indexed,  there  are  manuscript 
lists  in  the  office  which  are  of  service  in  locating  specific  papers. 

The  library,  which  is  a  branch  of  this  bureau,  is  especially  com- 
plete in  works  on  foreign  relations  and  international  law.  It  pub- 
lishes periodically  "  A  List  of  Books,  Pamphlets,  and  Maps  Received  " 
(1886  to  date,  28  numbers). 

Access  to  the  papers  and  books  in  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library 
may  be  had  under  the  following  rules: 

(1)  Persons  to  whom  the  privilege  of  consulting  the  manuscript  archives 
of  the  Department  of  State  is  granted  can  exercise  the  permission  only  sub- 
ject to  the  convenience  of  the  department  and  the  uninterrupted  transaction 
of  its  business. 


BUREAU  OF  BOLLS  AND  LIBRARY.  9 

(2)  No  manuscript  shall  at  any  time  be  taken  out  of  the  department  ex- 
cept by  order  in  writing  of  the  Secretary  or  an  Assistant  Secretary. 

(3)  No  manuscript  shall  be  taken  out  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library 
into  any  room  of  the  department  until  a  receipt  in  form  and  descriptive  of 
the  paper  or  volume  be  signed  by  the  official  taking  the  same  and  delivered 
to  the  chief  of  the  bureau,  or,  in  his  absence,  to  the  person  in  charge. 

(4)  No  manuscript  shall  be  detained  from  its  place  on  the  shelves  of  the 
Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library  after  4  p.  m.  of  the  day  it  shall  have  been 
taken;  and  no  manuscript  shall  be  taken  from  its  place  on  the  shelves  by 
any  others  than  the  clerks  in  charge,  except  by  special  arrangement  in  ex- 
ceptional circumstances. 

(5)  The  use  of  the  indexes  in  the  room  in  which  the  manuscripts  are  de- 
posited is  not  permitted  except  through  the  clerks  in  charge. 

(6)  The  privilege  of  consulting  the  manuscript  archives  does  not  include  the 
use  of  the  Library.  The  latter  privilege  must  be  independently  asked  for  of 
the  chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library. 

The  following  pages  describe  the  archives  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls 
and  Library  as  they  were  at  the  beginning  of  this  investigation.  Es- 
pecial attention  is  directed  to  the  following  executive  order,  in  accord- 
ance with  which  some  changes  have  already  been  made  and  more  are 
in  prospect: 

The  historical  archives  in  the  Department  of  State,  known  as  the  Revolu- 
tionary Archives,  and  comprising  (1)  The  records  and  papers  of  the  Con- 
tinental Congress;  (2)  The  papers  of  George  Washington;  (3)  The  papers 
of  James  Madison;  (4)  The  papers  of  Thomas  Jefferson;  (5)  The  papers 
of  Alexander  Hamilton;  (6)  The  papers  of  James  Monroe;  (7)  The  papers 
of  Benjamin  Franklin,  are,  by  authority  provided  by  the  act  of  Congress 
entitled  "  An  act  making  appropriations  for  the  legislative,  executive,  and 
judicial  expenses  of  the  Government  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  thirtieth, 
nineteen  hundred  and  four,  and  for  other  purposes  ",  approved  February  25, 
1903,  hereby  ordered  to  be  transferred  from  the  Department  of  State — with 
such  exceptions  and  reservations  in  each  collection  herein  enumerated,  as  in 
the  discretion  of  the  Secretary  of  State  may  be  required  for  the  continuity 
and  completeness  of  the  records  and  archives  of  the  Department  of  State — 
to  the  ppssession  and  custody  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  to  be  there  pre- 
served and  rendered  accessible  for  historical  and  other  legitimate  uses  under 
such  rules  and  regulations  as  may  from  time  to  time  be  prescribed  by  the 
Librarian  of  Congress. 

Only  a  part  of  the  papers  designated  by  the  above  order  have,  how- 
ever, been  actually  transferred  to  the  Library  of  Congress,  and  it  is 
impossible  to  know  when  the  transfer  will  be  effected,  or  to  state  defi- 
nitely what  "  exceptions  and  reservations  "  will  be  made  "  for  the 
continuity  and  completeness  of  the  records  and  archives  of  the  De- 
partment ".  As  nearly  as  can  be  stated  at  present  the  plan  seems  to 
be  to  retain  in  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library  such  papers  in  the 


10  DEPARTMENT   OF   STATE. 

above  collections  as  relate  to  foreign  affairs,  to  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States,  to  the  Great  Seal,  and  to  the  archives  of  the  State 
Department. 

I.    Special  Collections. 

1.  Continental  Congress  Papers  (Chapter  A),  1774--1789  (about  200 
vols.). 

These  records  of  the  General  Government  of  the  United  States 
prior  to  1789  were  deposited  in  the  State  Department  under  the  acts 
of  July  and  September,  1789  (1  Stat.  L.  28,  68).  They  consist  of 
reports  of  committees  and  of  executive  departments,  letters  of  the 
Presidents  of  Congress,  state  papers,  foreign  and  domestic  corre- 
spondence, letters  of  general  officers,  memorials  and  petitions,  and 
miscellaneous  papers.  A  practically  complete  inventory  of  these 
papers  is  printed  in  "  Bulletin  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library  ", 
No.  1,  and  also  in  Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  22,  53  Cong.,  3  sess.  (reprinted  in 
"Annual  Report  of  the  American  Historical  Association  for  1894", 
554  if.).  An  older  list  is  printed  as  "  Catalogue  of  Manuscript  Books 
deposited  in  the  Archives  of  the  Department  of  State,  1774-1789" 
(Washington,  1835;  enlarged  edition,  1855).  The  investigation  for 
this  report  revealed  the  following  papers  which  do  not  seem  to  be 
included  in  the  above  lists:  («)  Sixteen  volumes  of  letters  of  marque, 
being  for  the  most  part  simply  ships'  bonds  and  containing  no  accounts 
of  actions;  (6)  Twenty-two  envelopes  of  prints,  broadsides,  resolves, 
etc.  of  the  Continental  Congress;  (c)  One  box  of  printed  acts,  papers, 
etc.,  of  the  Continental  Congress,  1784-1788;  (d)  One  tin  chest  con- 
taining cessions  of  western  territory  by  various  states,  and  credentials 
of  delegates  to  the  Continental  Congress;  (e)  The  original  appoint- 
ment of  the  commissioners  to  settle  disputes  between  Pennsylvania  and 
Connecticut,  dated  August  28,  1780. 

An  index  to  part  of  the  papers  is  contained  in  "  Bulletins  of  the 
Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library  ",  Nos.  1,  3,  5,  7,  and  9,  under  the  title 
"  Miscellaneous  Index ".  There  is  in  the  bureau  a  more  complete 
manuscript  index  in  thirteen  ledger  volumes.  An  excellent  general 
description  of  this  collection  with  especial  reference  to  published  por- 
tions, by  Herbert  Friedenwald,  is  contained  in  the  "  Annual  Report  of 
the  American  Historical  Association  for  1896"   (85—135). 

The  Continental  Congress  papers  have  never  been  printed  in  full. 
Not  even  the  "  Journals  of  Congress  "  nor  the  "  Secret  Journals  of 
Congress  "  are  complete.  Large  portions  of  the  collections  are  printed 
in  Sparks's  "Diplomatic  Correspondence  of  the  American  Revolution", 


BUREAU   OF   ROLLS   AND   LIBRARY.  H 

12  vols.  (Boston,  1829-1830);  Wharton's  "Revolutionary  Diplomatic 
Correspondence,  1775-1787",  6  vols.  (Washington,  1889)  ;  and  in  "The 
Diplomatic  Correspondence  of  the  United  States  .  .  .  from  .  .  .  10th 
September,  1783,  to  .  .  .  March  4,  1789  ",  7  vols.  (Washington,  1833- 
1834).  See  also  P.  L.  Ford's  "  Bibliography  of  the  Continental  Con- 
gress '*  in  "  Boston  Public  Library  Bulletin  "  (viii,  320-323). 

2.  The  Washington  Papers   {Chapter  B)    (about  300  vols.). 

The  Washington  papers,  purchased  under  the  acts  of  June  30, 
1834,  and  March  3,  1849  (4  Stat.  L.  712;  9  ibid.  370),  comprise  the 
greater  part  of  Washington's  writings  and  correspondence  from  his 
boyhood  until  his  death.  An  inventory  of  the  papers  in  this  collection 
is  printed  in  "  Bulletin  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library  ",  No.  3. 

The  collection  was  purchased  in  two  parts,  and  thirty-seven  volumes 
were  transferred  to  the  War  Department  in  1894  (28  Stat.  L.  403). 
For  the  history  of  the  collection  see  the  account  by  J.  M.  Toner  in 
the  "Annual  Report  of  the  American  Historical  Association"  (1892, 
73  fF.).  Large  parts  of  these  papers  have  been  printed  in  Sparks's 
"Washington's  Writings",  12  vols.  (Boston,  1834-1837)  ;  W.  C.  Ford's 
"Writings  of  Washington",  14  vols.  (New  York,  1889-1893);  and 
"Letters  to  Washington  and  Accompanying  Papers,  1752-1775",  5 
vols.  (Boston  and  New  York,  1898),  edited  by  S.  M.  Hamilton  and  pub- 
lished by  the  Society  of  Colonial  Dames  of  America.  See  also  W.  S. 
Baker's  "  Bibliotheca  Washingtoniana  "    (Philadelphia,   1889). 

3.  The  Madison  Papers  (Chapter  D),  1769-1836  (75  vols.). 

This  collection,  purchased  under  the  act  of  May  31,  1848  (9  Stat. 
L.  235),  contains  Madison's  correspondence,  memorandum  books,  his 
"Debates  in  1776  on  the  Declaration  of  Independence",  his  "  Notes 
on  the  Proceedings  of  Congress  ",  etc.  An  inventory  of  these  papers  is 
printed  in  "  Bulletin  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library  ",  No.  5,  while 
a  calendar  of  them  is  published  in  No.  4  of  the  same  series  (reprinted 
as  H.  Doc.  621,  57  Cong.,  1  sess.).  Portions  of  this  collection 
have  been  published  in  "  Papers  of  James  Madison  ",  3  vols.  (Washing- 
ton, 1840),  published  under  act  of  July  9,  1838  (5  Stat.  L.  309),  and 
in  Gaillard  Hunt's  "Writings  of  Madison"  (New  York,  1900-1903). 

^.   The  Jefferson  Papers  (Chapter  E),  1775-1826  (137  vols.). 

This  collection,  purchased  under  the  act  of  August  12,  1848  (9 
Stat.  L.  284),  contains  Jefferson's  correspondence  and  miscellaneous 
papers,  his  notes  while  Secretary  of  State,  his  "  Commonplace  Book  ", 


--^Tb" 


12  DEPARTMENT   OF  STATE. 

"Canons  of  Etiquette  ",  etc.  An  inventory  of  the  Jefferson  papers  is 
printed  in  "  Bulletin  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library  '\  No.  5,  and 
Nos.  C,  8,  and  10  of  the  same  series  contain  a  calendar  of  the  papers. 
It  may  be  noted  here  that  a  large  collection  of  Jefferson  papers  is  in  the 
possession  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society.  Selections  have 
been  printed  in  that  society's  "  Collections  ",  seventh  series,  vol.  i 
(Boston,  1900). 

Portions  of  this  collection  are  printed  in  "  The  Writings  of  Thomas 
Jefferson  ",  9  vols.  (Washington,  1853-1854),  edited  by  H.  A.  Wash- 
ington, and  in  P.  L.  Ford's  "Writings  of  Thomas  Jefferson",  1760- 
1826,  10  vols.  (New  York  and  London,  1892-1899). 

5.  The  Hamilton  Papers  {Chapter  F),  1757-180J^  {65  vols.). 

The  Hamilton  papers  vrere  purchased  under  the  act  of  August  12, 
1848  (9  Stat.  L.  284).  A  brief  inventory  of  them  is  printed  in  the 
" Bulletin  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library", No.  5.  Portions  of  them 
have  been  printed  in  "  Works  of  Alexander  Hamilton  ",  7  vols.  (New 
York,  1850-1851),  published  under  authority  of  the  Joint  Library 
Committee  of  Congress,  and  edited  by  J.  C.  Hamilton,  and  in  H.  C. 
Lodge's  "  Works  of  Alexander  Hamilton  ",  9  vols.  (New  York  and 
London,  1885-1886).  See  P.  L.  Ford's  "  Bibliotheca  Hamiltoniana  " 
(New  York,  printed  for  the  author,  1886). 

6.  The  Monroe  Papers  {Chapter  G),  1758-1831  {22  vols.). 

This  collection,  purchased  under  the  act  of  March  3,  1849  (9  Stat. 
L.  370),  contains  Monroe's  correspondence  and  papers.  An  inventory 
of  the  papers  is  printed  in  "  Bulletin  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and 
Library  ",  No.  5,  and  No.  2  of  the  same  series  contains  a  calendar  of 
them.  They  are  the  basis  of  S.  M.  Hamilton's  "  Writings  of  James 
Monroe",  7  vols.  (New  York  and  London,  1898-1903). 

7.  The  FranhUn  Papers  (Chapter  H),  1726-1790  (82  vols.). 

The  Franklin  papers,  purchased  under  the  act  of  August  7,  1882 
(22  Stat.  L.  338),  include  Franklin's  letter-books,  journals,  and  cor- 
respondence, the  records  of  the  United  States  legation  in  Paris,  the 
records  of  the  Peace  Commissioners,  etc.  An  inventory  of  the  papers 
is  printed  in  "  Bulletin  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library  ",  No.  5,  and 
a  detailed  description  with  a  more  complete  inventory  is  to  be  found  in 
Sen.  Misc.  Doc.  21,  47  Cong.,  1  sess.  In  the  "  Magazine  of  Amer- 
ican History  "  (ix,  428—439)  is  an  account  of  the  history  of  the  collec- 
tion.    Franklin  papers  are  printed  in  Sparks's  "Works  of  Benjamin 


BUREAU    OF   BOLLS   AND    LIBRARY.  13 

Franklin",  10  vols.  (Boston,  1840);  W.  T.  Franklin's  "Works  of 
Benjamin  Franklin  ",  6  vols.  (Philadelphia,  1809);  and  in  John  Bige- 
low's  "  Complete  Works  of  Benjamin  Franklin  ",  10  vols.  (New  York, 
1887-1888).  See  also  P.  L.  Ford's  "  Franklin  Bibliography  "  (Brook- 
lyn, 1889). 

II.  Papers  Relating  to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  (Chapter  C). 

The  journal  of  the  Federal  Convention  and  all  papers  relating  to 
that  convention  or  forming  part  of  its  archives,  together  with  all  other 
papers  relating  to  the  Constitution,  such  as  ratifications  of  amend- 
ments by  states,  etc.,  are  preserved  in  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Li- 
brary. They  have  been  printed  in  the  "  Documentary  History  of  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  1787-1870"  3  vols.  (Washington, 
1894-1900). 

III.  Acts  and  Resolutions  of  Congress;  Treaties;  Presidential  Proclama- 

tions; Executive  Orders  and  Announcements   (Chapter  K). 

1.  Acts  and  Resolutions  of  Congress,  1789  to  date. 

All  acts  and  resolutions  of  Congress  are  promulgated  by  the  Bureau 
of  Rolls  and  Library  and  are  here  preserved. 

2.  Treaties. 

a.  Treaties  with  Foreign  States,  1778  to  date:  All  treaties  between 
the  United  States  and  foreign  states  are  promulgated  by  the  Bureau 
of  Rolls  and  Library  and  the  originals  are  here  preserved.  See  Has- 
well's  "Treaties  and  Conventions,  1776-1889"  (Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  47,  48 
Cong.,  2  sess.). 

h.  Treaties  with  the  Indians,  1722-1868:  Treaties  with  the  Indians 
have,  since  1849,  ordinarily  been  preserved  in  the  Department  of  the 
Interior,  and  many  treaties  prior  to  1849  have  been  transferred  to  that 
department.  A  large  number  of  treaties,  however,  made  between  1722 
and  1868  are  on  file  in  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library.  For  pub- 
lished treaties  see  "  Indian  Affairs,  Laws,  and  Treaties  ",  compiled  by 
C.  J.  Kappler  (Sen.  Doc.  452,  57  Cong.,  1  sess.).  Volume  ii  con- 
tains the  Indian  treaties  to  1902. 

3.  Presidential  Proclamations  and  Executive   Orders  and  Announce- 

ments, 1789  to  date. 
All  presidential  proclamations  and  executive  orders  and  announce- 
ments are  filed  in  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library.     Proclamations 
are  printed  in  the  Statutes  at  Large.     Executive  orders  must  be  dis- 


14  DEPARTMENT   OF   STATE. 

tinguished  from  the  general  orders  issued  by  the  President  as  Com- 
mander of  the  Army  and  Navy. 

IV.    Territorial  and  State  Records  (Chapter  I). 

No  general  statement  can  be  made  as  to  what  territorial  and  state 
papers  are  on  file  in  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library.  It  is  said 
at  the  State  Department  that  the  bulk  of  the  territorial  papers  was 
transferred  to  the  Interior  Department  after  its  establishment.  They 
are  not,  however,  to  be  found  in  the  latter  department,  and  all  knowl- 
edge of  them  there  is  denied.  In  the  meanwhile  their  location  remains 
unknown.  Some  few  volumes  and  packages  of  territorial  papers  are 
in  the  Bureau  of  Indexes  and  Archives  (see  above).  The  following 
comprises  the  list  printed  in  "  Bulletin  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and 
Library  of  the  Department  of  State  ",  No.  7  (pp.  5—8),  together  with 
such  additions  as  subsequent  research  in  the  archives  of  the  bureau 
has  revealed. 

General. 

1.  Papers  and  Records  of  the  Territories,  1788—1816  (2  vols.). 
These  volumes  contain  originals  and  copies  of  correspondence,  ex- 
ecutive  and   legislative    proceedings,    etc.     The    following    items    are 
noted  by  way  of  illustration: 

Illinois,  executive  register;  several  letters,  1812  and  1813. 

Indiana,  executive  proceedings,  July,  1814,  to  June,  1816. 

Louisiana,  legislative  acts,  1807,  with  letters  and  accompanying 
documents. 

Michigan,  executive  proceedings,  and  much  correspondence  relative 
to  Detroit  in  the  War  of  1812,  1811  to  1813. 

Missouri,  executive  proceedings,  April,  1815,  to  September,  1816. 

Northwest  Territory,  laws  and  executive  proceedings. 

Southwest  Territory  (Tennessee),  executive  proceedings,  with  ac- 
companying letters  and  papers. 

2.  Letters  from  Governors  of  States,  1790-1812  (1  vol.). 

These  letters  are  on  various  matters.  There  are  about  twenty 
papers  relating  to  the  ratification  of  constitutional  amendments,  such 
as  the  actual  ratifications,  opinions,  etc.  Many  letters  from  Rhode 
Island  relate  to  the  breaches  of  neutrality  by  British  vessels. 

S.   Western  Lands,  1791-1793  {6  vols.). 

These  volumes,  entitled  "  Western  Lands  ",  contain  records,  copies 
of  laws  and  resolutions,  etc.,  relative  to  the  western  lands. 


BUREAU   OF  ROLLS   AND   LIBRARY.  15 

4.  Executive  Proceedings,  1811—1816   {a  few  papers). 
Alaskan  Archives. 

The  Alaskan  archives  were  forwarded  to  the  War  Department  on 
March  23^  1870,  by  the  Commander  of  the  Department  of  Alaska,  who 
had  received  them  from  the  Russian  authorities.  On  December  6,  1870, 
they  were  transferred  to  the  Department  of  State,  with  the  request  that 
any  documents  found  to  relate  to  military  affairs  might  be  referred  to 
the  War  Department  for  file  or  examination.  The  archives  are  con- 
tained in  large  volumes  of  manuscript,  are  wholly  in  Russian,  and  are 
not  indexed.  A  few  translations  and  facsimiles  are  found  in  Sen. 
Ex.  Doc.  177,  53  Cong.,  2  sess.  (pt.  8,  pp.  305-378;  pt.  16).  There 
are  the  following  groups: 

1.  Despatches  and  correspondence  of  board  of  directors  of  Russian- 

American  Company,  1802;  1817-1866  (25  vols.). 

2.  Journals  of  correspondence  between  governors  of  the  colonies  and 

board  of  directors  of  Russian- American  Company  and  other  per- 
sons, 1818-1867  (SJf  vols.). 

5.  Log-books  kept  on  fifteen  of  the  Company's  ships  on  their  voyages 

in  the  colonies,  1850-1867  (16  vols.). 

Jf..  Journals   of   explorations   of   the   northwest   coast   of   KadiaJc,   by 
Captain  Archimandritoff ,  1860-1864-   (1    vol.). 

6.  Journal  of  an  overland  expedition  of  Lieutenant  FagosJcin,  1842— 

18U  (1  vol.). 
Colorado. 

1.  Constitution,  1875, 
riorida. 

1.  Cession  of  Florida,  1818-1821. 

A  bundle  of  papers  and  a  volume  of  correspondence,  much  of  it 
diplomatic. 

2.  Provisional  Government,  1820  (1  vol.). 

Records  of  the  provisional  government,  and  a  document  entitled 
**  Copio  Integra  del  espediente  formado  en  virtue  de  Real  order  de  29 
de  Avril  de  1822  que  manda  se  remira  a  S.  M.  una  rason  circumstan- 
cial  de  las  donaciones  de  tierras  hechas  en  las  Floridas  de  que  haya 
constancia  en  Intentencia  ". 

S.   Transfer  of  Florida  Archives,  May,  1832-Nov.,  1884  (6  vols.). 

Journal  of  Jeremy  Robinson,  special  agent  and  commissioner  of  the 
United  States,  who  was   endeavoring  to  obtain  the  transfer   of  the 


Ig  DEPARTMENT   OF   STATE. 

archives  of  Florida  and  Louisiana  to  the  United  States,  as  provided 
for  in  article  ii  of  the  treaty  with  Spain  of  1819.  He  kept  a  very 
detailed  account  of  all  his  movements,  and  in  these  journals  are  to 
be  found  vivid  descriptions  of  social  and  political  life  in  Cuba,  cor- 
respondence with  the  United  States  and  Spanish  officials,  an  extended 
description  of  the  archives,  etc. 

Idaho. 

Constitution  and  papers  relating  to  the  admission  of  Idaho  Terri- 
tory into  the  Union,  transmitted  December  3,  1889. 

Illinois. 

See  Papers  and  Records  of  the  Territories   (above). 

Indiana. 

See  Papers  and  Records  of  the  Territories  (above). 

Louisiana. 

See  Papers  and  Records  of  the  Territories  (above). 

1.  Governor   Claiborne's    Correspondence    relating    to   Louisiana   and 

Orleans   Territory,  1803-1812  (6  vols.). 

2.  Louisiana  Purchase^  1803—1804.. 

Correspondence  of  Commissioners  Claiborne  and  Wilkinson,  and 
other  papers. 

S.  Papers  relating  to  Louisiana  and  the  Southern  Boundary,  1806- 
1818  (1  vol.). 
Many  of  these  papers  relate  to  the  Mexican  Revolution;  there  is 
correspondence  of  the   State   Department,   of  General   Jose   Alvarez 
Toledo,  of  General  Gregor  McGregor,  and  others. 

^.  Livingston's  Batture,  1808-1810   (1  vol.). 

"  Examination  of  the  claims  of  the  United  States  and  the  preten- 
tions of  Edward  Livingston,  Esq.,  to  the  batture  in  front  of  the  suburb 
of  St.  Mary  ".  A  collection  of  papers  with  opinion  sent  to  Thomas 
Jefferson  from  the  State  Department,  and  returned  by  him  with  addi- 
tions. For  information  about  this  claim  see  "  American  State  Papers, 
Public  Lands"   (ii,  1  ff.). 

Michigan. 

See  Papers  and  Records  of  the  Territories   (above). 

1.  Letters  and  Papers  from  the   Territory  of  Michigan,  1805-1815 
(1  vol.). 


BUREAU   OF   BOLLS   AND    LIBRARY.  I7 

2.  Legislative    and    Executive    Acts    and    Proceedings    (transcripts), 
1820-1836. 
Some  of  the  Michigan  papers  are  printed  in  "  Michigan  Pioneer  and 
Historical  Collections"  (xxxi,  510—612). 

Mississippi. 

See  below,  under  Yazoo  Claims  in  Miscellaneous  Papers  (viii,  19). 

1.  Governor's  Correspondence,  180^—1815  (i  vol.). 
Proclamations,  instructions,  lists   of  officials,   etc. 

2.  Proceedings  of  the  Executive  Council  and  Legislature,  1809—1816 

(2  vols.). 

S.  Mississippi  Lands,  18H. 

A  small  bundle  of  papers  relating  to  the  release  to  the  United  States 
of  certain  lands  under  act  of  March  1,  1814  (3  Stat.  L.  116). 

^.  Reconstruction,  1865-1869. 

Constitution  of  Mississippi  as  amended  August,  1865,  and  adopted 
November  30,  1869;  ordinances  of  the  convention,  Nos.  1  to  21;  a 
transmittal  letter  of  Provisional  Governor  W.  L.  Sharkey,  of  August 
28,  1865. 

Missouri. 

See  Papers  and  Records  of  the  Territories  (above). 

Montana. 

Constitution  and  papers  relating  to  the  admission  of  Montana  Ter- 
ritory into  the  Union,  transmitted  October  28,  1889. 

New  Mexico. 

Constitution  and  letter  from  B.  M.  Thomas,  Territorial  Secretary, 
of  January  3,  1890. 

North  Dakota. 

Constitution  and  papers  relating  to  the  admission  of  North  Dakota 
Territory  into  the  Union,  transmitted  October  21,  1889. 

Northwest  Territory. 

See  Papers  and  Records  of  the  Territories  (above). 

1.  Executive  Proceedings,  July  7,  1788-December  7,  1793  (2  vols.). 

2.  Copies  of  Laws  (part  of  1  vol.). 

3 


18  DEPARTMENT   OF  STATE. 

Ohio. 

There  are  papers  relating  to  the  early  history  of  Ohio  in  Papers 
and  Records  of  the  Territories  (above),  and  in  the  records  of  the 
Northwest  Territory. 

South  Dakota. 

Constitution  and  papers  relating  to  the  admission  of  South  Dakota 
into  the  Union,  transmitted  October  21,  1889. 

Tennessee  (Southwest  Territory). 

See  Papers  and  Records  of  the  Territories   (above). 

1.  Blount's  Journal  1790-1793  (part  of  1   vol.). 

"  Journal  of  the  proceedings  of  William  Blount,  esq.,  governor  in 
and  over  the  Territory  of  the  United  States  of  America,  south  of  the 
river  Ohio,  Oct.  1790-June  1793". 

Texas. 

Constitution  and  ordinances  transmitted  with  letter  of  Leigh  Cham- 
bers, April  2,  1866. 

Washington. 

1.  Legislative  Journal,  185 Jf. 

Journal  of  legislative  assembly  of  Washington  Territory,  first  ses- 
sion, 1854. 

2.  Admission  into  Union,  1889. 

Constitution  and  papers  relative  to  the  admission  of  Washington 
Territory  into  the  Union,  transmitted  January  3,  1889. 

Wyoming. 

Memorial  of  people  of  Wyoming,  transmitted  November  29,  1889; 
constitution. 

V.    Records  of   the    Proceedings   of   Commissions   for   the    Settlement   of 
International  Disputes. 

In  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library  are  preserved  the  records  of 
all  commissions  established  by  treaty  for  the  settlement  of  questions 
involving  boundaries  and  international  claims.  When  the  commission 
is  a  mixed  one,  i.  e.,  composed  of  members  of  both  the  states  concerned, 
only  the  records  and  papers  of  the  commissioners  for  the  United  States 
are  preserved  here.  When,  however,  the  commission  is  composed 
wholly  of  citizens  of  the  United  States,  as  in  the  case  of  the  commis- 
sion appointed  to   apportion  the  French  indemnity   after  the  treaty 


BUREAU    OF   BOLLS   AND    LIBRARY.  19 

with  France  of  July  4,  1831,  all  the  records  are  to  be  found  here. 
The  records  of  all  commissions  are  similar  in  character,  consisting  of 
registers,  dockets,  opinions,  arguments,  and  awards.  For  the  list  of 
commissions  reference  may  be  had  to  J.  B.  Moore's  "  International 
Arbitrations  ". 

In  addition  to  the  commission  records  should  be  mentioned  the 
papers  relating  to  the  claims  that  come  before  the  commissions  for 
adjudication.  These  are  the  claims  themselves,  with  the  evidence  and 
other  papers  relating  to  them.  All  of  these  papers  are  supposed  to  be 
on  file  in  this  bureau,  with  the  exception  of  such  as  have  been  removed 
in  accordance  with  law.  The  larger  part  of  the  French  Spoliation 
Claims  papers,  for  instance,  are  in  the  Court  of  Claims.  A  general 
description  of  these  papers  is  considered  adequate  for  this  report,  but  a 
more  detailed  account  of  such  papers  as  were  especially  noted  in  the 
examination  is  found  below  under  Miscellaneous  (viii).  For  a  list 
of  papers  filed  in  this  bureau  relating  to  the  French  Spoliation  Claims 
see  Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  102,  49  Cong.,  1  sess. 

The  records  and  evidence  of  many  of  the  more  important  commis- 
sions have  been  printed,  as  in  the  case  of  the  French  Spoliation  Claims, 
the  Alabama  Claims,  the  British  Mixed  Commission,  the  Fur  Seal 
Arbitration,  etc. 

In  general  it  may  be  said  that  the  records  and  papers  of  this  class 
are  considered  confidential,  but  the  investigator  would  find  many  ex- 
ceptions to  this  rule. 

VI.    Letters  of  Ceremony  Addressed  to  the   Goverkmext  of  the   United 

States  on  Extraordinary  Occasions  by  the  Heads  and 

Governments  of  Foreign  States  (Chapter  M). 

All  letters  of  the  kind  described  above  are  preserved  here.  As  an 
illustration  may  be  noted  the  announcement  by  Napoleon  of  his  re- 
turn from  Elba.  Deaths,  births,  abdications,  revolutions,  etc.,  furnish 
the  "  extraordinary  occasions  "  for  these  letters. 

VII.    Records  of  the  War  of  1812  (Chapter  N). 
For  other  papers  which  have  a  possible  bearing  on  the  War  of  1812  see  be- 
low under  Miscellaneous  (viii),  for  the  dates  1806-1815.     There  is  also  much 
interesting  material  in  Papers  and  Records  of  the  Territories   (above),  under 
Michigan. 

1.  Prisoners  of  the  War  of  1812,  1812-1816. 

These  papers  are  in  three  large  chests ;  the  first  contains  lists  of  ex- 
changed prisoners  (for  the  most  part  privateersmen),  giving  time  of 


20  DEPARTMENT   OF   STATE. 

capture^  name  of  vessel,  etc. ;  also  a  large  number  of  bundles  of  letters 
relating  to  prisoners,  their  histories,  efforts  to  get  exchanged,  etc.  The 
second  contains  the  log-book  of  the  United  States  cartel-ship  "  Ana- 
lostan  "  (William  P.  Smith,  commander)  ;  lists  of  paroles  of  British  and 
American  prisoners  of  war  in  the  West  Indies ;  invoices  of  supplies  for 
the  Indians  on  the  northern  frontier  sent  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to 
Governor  Cass  of  Michigan,  1815;  reports  by  United  States  marshals 
relating  to  aliens  within  their  districts;  letters  from  aliens  asking  per- 
mission to  dwell  in  certain  cities;  and  vouchers  of  disbursements  for 
distressed  American  seamen.  The  third  chest  contains  reports  of  mar- 
shals relating  to  prisoners  in  their  districts;  bundles  of  paroles;  and 
lists  of  escaped  prisoners,  with  information  as  to  their  methods  of 
escape. 

2,  Vessels  and  Sea  Fights,  1812. 

Several  bundles  of  papers  relating  to  various  American  and  foreign 
vessels,  both  merchantmen  and  men-of-war,  to  sea  fights,  etc.  There 
is  an  index  to  these  papers  in  a  manuscript  volume. 

S.  Privateer  Abaellino,  181^-1815. 

Copy  of  the  journal  of  a  cruise  in  the  Mediterranean,  1814-1815. 
This  journal  was  transmitted  by  Dearborn,  collector  of  the  port  of 
Boston,  to  James  Monroe,  as  proof  of  unfriendly  action  by  Tunis  and 
Tripoli  in  giving  up  to  British  vessels  prizes  taken  by  the  **  Abael- 
lino ".  The  journal  gives  many  interesting  details  of  a  privateer's 
cruise. 

VIII.    Miscellaneous. 

Under  this  heading  are  grouped  those  papers  in  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and 
Library  that  do  not  clearly  belong  under  any  of  the  chapters  thus  far  desig- 
nated by  the  bureau.  They  have  been  arranged  for  this  report  in  strict  chrono- 
logical order,  although  it  should  be  understood  that  in  the  bureau  they  are  prac- 
tically without  arrangement. 

1.  Spanish  Manuscripts,  1631  (92  papers). 

These  manuscripts  are  supposed  to  have  been  captured  in  the  City 
of  Mexico  during  the  Mexican  War.  They  consist  of  ninety-two  orig- 
inal papers  in  Spanish  dating  from  1631,  and  relating  to  the  quarrel 
between  the  Jesuits  of  Mexico  and  the  archbishop  of  that  see  about 
tithes  which  the  Jesuits  refused  to  pay.  These  manuscripts  were  sent 
to  the  State  Department  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  January  25,  1890. 

2.  Virginia  Colonial  Forces,  1755-1756. 

Pay-rolls  and  receipts  of  the  Virginia  troops  in  1755—1756.  These 
papers  form  a  part  of  the  earlier  Washington  papers,  but  are  not  so 


BUREAU   OF  BOLLS  AND   LIBRARY.  21 

listed.     They  are  mounted,  but  not  paged  for  binding,  and  are  not 
indexed. 

3.  Mason  and  Dixon's  Line,  1763-1768  (1  vol.). 

The  original  journal  of  the  commissioners  appointed  to  determine 
the  boundary  between  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland.  Surveyors'  notes, 
mostly  technical,  with  some  descriptions  and  correspondence. 

4.  Orderly  Books,  1776-1780. 

a.  Three  books  kept  by  Captam  Robert  Walker,  1777,  1778,  1780. 

h.  One  book  kept  by  Sergeant  Peter  Dalson,  entitled  "  Orderly 
Book  of  American  Army  imder  Gen.  Washington,  1776  ".  This  book 
is  the  work  of  an  ignorant  officer,  but  is  full  of  very  interesting  details. 
The  writer  seems  to  have  been  in  close  communication  with  General 
Washington. 

5.  Diary  of  Ehenezer  Fitch  and  Paul  Blancher,  some  time  between 

1776  and  1783. 
This  is  the  diary  of  two  men  who,  apparently,  obtained  information 
relating  to  the  American  forces  for  the  British  during  the  Revolution; 
they  operated  between  Boston  and  New  York.     In  all  the  dates  the 
year  is  omitted,  only  the  month  and  day  being  indicated. 

6.  North  Carolina  Manuscripts,  1777  (small  bundle). 

These  are  chiefly  senate  and  council  documents,  and  probably  belong 
in  the  Continental  Congress  papers. 

7.  Forton  Prisoners'  Manuscripts,  1777-1779. 

a.  A  manuscript  book  entitled  "  Sailor  Songs  of  the  Forton  Prisoners. 
England,  1788". 

b.  A  journal  (1777-1779),  possibly  by  Timothy  Connor.  See 
the  **  New  England  Historical  and  Genealogical  Register  "  (beginning 
in  volume  xxx,  174)  where  the  journal  is  published  with  notes.  These 
papers  were  purchased  in  1893  by  the  State  Department  from  W.  R. 
Cutter,  of  Woburn,  Massachusetts. 

8.  Beaumarchais  Claim  Papers,  1778—1787. 

A  collection  of  papers  contained  in  a  single  large  envelope. 

9.  Journal  of  the  Travels  of  Alexander  Church,  Richard  Ramsey,  and 

Tephanial  Halsey,  1779-1782. 
This  journal  seems  to  have  little  value.     The  writers  were  charged 
with  the  care  of  certain  army  horses  and  relate  their  experiences  during 
the  performance  of  their  duties. 


22  DEPARTMENT   OF  STATE. 

10.  Clinton  Annotations. 

These  are  the  marginal  annotations  made  by  Sir  Henry  Clinton  in 
ten  volumes  of  histories,  memoirs,  pamphlets,  etc.,  such  as:  Ramsay's 
"  American  Revolution  ",  "  Memoirs  of  General  Charles  Lee  ",  "  Clin- 
ton and  Cornwallis  Controversy ",  etc.  They  constitute  a  running 
commentary  on  the  text. 

11.  Lists  of  Negroes  carried  away  from  Charleston  by  General  Carle- 

ton,  1783. 

12.  Commissioners'  Papers,  1783-1787  {large  bundle). 
Transcripts  of  the  correspondence  of  John  Adams,  Benjamin  Frank- 
lin, John  Jay,  and  Thomas  Jefferson,  1784—1787;  and  the  correspon- 
dence of  John  Adams,  Benjamin  Franklin,  and  Thomas  Jefferson,  joint 
commissioners  and  ministers  plenipotentiary  for  the  formation  of 
treaties  of  amity  and  commerce  with  foreign  powers.  The  originals 
are  probably  aU  in  the  Continental  Congress,  Franklin,  and  Jefferson 
papers. 

13.  Transcripts  of  the  Journal  of  the  Executive  Proceedings  of  the 

Senate,  May  26,  1789-1836  {10  vols.). 
These  transcripts  were  made  in  accordance  with  the  order  of  the 
Senate,  January  27,  1792,  "that  the  President  of  the  United  States 
be  furnished  with  an  authenticated  transcript  of  the  Executive  Records 
of  the  Senate  from  time  to  time  ".  Printed  in  **  Journal  of  the  Execu- 
tive Proceedings  of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  ". 

U.  Journal  of  the  Ship  Hope,  1790-1792  {i  vols.). 

Account  of  an  exploring  voyage  from  Boston  to  the  northwest  coast 
of  America,  by  Joseph  Ingraham,  captain.  This  journal,  though  hav- 
ing little  historical  worth,  unless  in  connection  with  the  discovery  of 
Oregon,  and  of  doubtful  value  there,  is  very  interesting,  is  adorned 
with  curious  drawings,  maps,  and  scrolls,  and  is  filled  with  stories  of 
strange  adventures  in  the  islands  of  the  Pacific. 

15.  C.   TV.  F.  Dumas  to  Jefferson,  1790. 

Eight  letters,  written  in  French,  from  The  Hague,  1790. 

16.  Log-Booh  of  the  Ship  Columbia,  1790-1792. 

Captain  Robert  Gray,  Boston  to  northwest  coast  of  America;  Sep- 
tember 28,  1790,  to  February  20,  1792.  Accompanied  by  a  small 
bundle  of  papers  relating  to  the  discovery  of  the  Columbia  River,  and 
by  Gray's  journal,  sailing  orders,  etc.     On  this  voyage  Gray  explored 


BUREAU   OF  BOLLS  AND   LIBRARY.  23 

the  Columbia  River  and  named  it  after  his  vessel.  The  log-book 
contains  very  few  interesting  details,  and  appears  to  have  little  value. 
Presented  to  the  State  Department  by  Charles  Bulfinch  in  1841. 

17.  Whiskey  Insurrection  in  Pennsylvania,  1792—1796  {1  vol.). 

This  bound  volume  of  manuscripts  contains  correspondence  between 
the  President  of  the  United  States  and  Governor  Mifflin  of  Pennsyl- 
vania; correspondence  of  commissioners  with  oflficers  of  the  govern- 
ment, committees  of  citizens,  etc.;  minutes  and  report  of  the  commis- 
sioners, August— September,  1794;  declarations  of  submission  to  the 
laws  of  the  United  States,  subscribed  to  by  citizens ;  reports  of  accep- 
tance or  refusal  of  terms  of  commissioners;  general  list  of  taxables  in 
Allegheny  County,  September  22,  1794;  minutes  of  meeting  of  cabinet 
officers  at  the  President's  house  in  Philadelphia;  applications  for 
pardon,  1795—1796;  evidence,  depositions,  etc.,  September  to  October, 
1792.  In  "American  State  Papers,  Miscellaneous"  (i,  83  ff.),  are 
printed  the  report  and  parts  of  the  correspondence;  the  minutes  and 
most  of  the  other  material  noted  are  omitted. 

18.  Letters   and   Opinions   of  the  Attorneys-General,  1792-1810    {1 

vol.). 
A  comparison  of  ten  opinions  taken  at  random  from  1792  to  1803 
shows  all  to  have  been  printed  (H.  Ex.  Doc.  123,  26  Cong.,  2  sess.; 
H.  Ex.  Doc.  55,  31  Cong.,  2  sess.).  There  are  many  papers,  however, 
aside  from  opinions,  consisting  of  correspondence,  generally  with 
the  State  Department,  inclosures  accompanying  requests  for  opinions, 
etc.,  which  are  not  in  the  volumes  of  printed  opinions.  One  document 
perhaps  deserves  especial  mention :  "  Extracts  of  the  material  parts 
of  depositions  and  papers  relative  to  a  secret  society  formed  at  Mon- 
treal, and  to  a  proposed  invasion  of  His  Majesty's  Province  of  Lower 
Canada,  1801  "  (18  pages).  There  are  very  few  papers  after  1804. 
There  is  no  index  and  the  arrangement  is  approximately  chronological. 

19.  Mississippi  and  Tennessee  Lands,  1795—1816. 

There  are  about  17  ledger  volumes  of  indentures  made  by  the 
Tennessee  Company  of  certificates  of  stock,  etc.;  a  so-called  "Journal 
of  the  Tennessee  Company  ",  which  is  a  list  of  the  shares  issued ;  a 
bundle  of  papers  relating  to  the  Yazoo  claims,  etc.  For  information 
relating  to  these  claims  see  "  American  State  Papers,  Public  Lands  " 
(i,  in  index,  under  "  Tennessee  Company  ",  "  New  England  Missis- 
sippi Company  ",  and  "  Yazoo  Company  "). 


24  DEPARTMENT   OF  STATE. 

20.  Southern  Boundary,  Andrew  Ellicott  Papers,  1796-1799  (1  vol.). 
Letters  sent  by  Andrew  Ellicott  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  with  en- 
closures, including  his  correspondence  with  Spanish  and  American 
officials,  his  expense  accounts  and  engineering  notes,  Spanish  proclama- 
tions, a  "Journal  of  Mr.  EUicott's  Voyage  from  St.  Marks  to  the 
Mouth  of  the  River  St.  Mary,  Oct.  17  to  Dec.  19,  1799  ",  etc.  These 
papers  are  in  part  printed  in  "  American  State  Papers,  Foreign  Rela- 
tions "  (ii,  20-27,  78-87). 

21.  Curagoa  Consular  Archives,  1797-1801. 

A  bundle  of  manuscripts  used  as  evidence  in  the  French  spoliation 
claims. 

22.  Applications  for  Relief  of  Impressed  Seamen,  1797—1802  {2  vols.). 
Papers  of  David  Lennox,  United  States  agent  for  impressed  seamen. 

23.  House  Tax  Insurrection,  March-April,  1799  {21  papers). 
These  papers  on  the  insurrection  of   March   and  April,    1799,  in 

Northampton  and  Bucks  Counties,  Pennsylvania,  contain  the  announce- 
ment of  the  insurrection  to  Pickering  by  Judge  Peters,  March  11, 
1799;  the  deposition  of  Valentine  Fiihrer,  March  9,  1799;  reports  of 
marshals ;  witnesses'  letters ;  lists  of  persons,  convicted  of  treason  and 
held  under  recognizance,  and  the  printed  proclamation  of  General 
William  MacPherson,  April  5,  1799.  A  note  on  the  package  says  that 
in  the  commission  room  are  various  petitions  from  the  participants 
for  pardon,  and  that  warrants  for  their  pardons  are  recorded  in  volume 
I,  Book  of  Pardons.  (See  Bureau  of  Appointments.)  Printed  in  part 
in  "American  State  Papers,  Miscellaneous"  (i,  185  if.). 

2J^.  Claims,  1800-1860. 

There  are  some  small  bundles  of  private  claims  against  foreign  states, 
apparently  not  belonging  with  the  claims  adjudicated  by  commissions, 
and  labeled  as  follows,  the  dates  being  approximate:  Buenos  Ayres, 
1824-1848;  Central  America,  1830,  1860;  Hayti,  1800-1824;  Holland, 
1823-1830;  Montevideo,  1849;  Portugal,  1832-1839;  Russia,  1805, 
1829;  Sweden,  1811-1832;  Texas,  1843. 

25.  Gallatin  Letters,  1801-1811    (1  vol.). 

Correspondence  of  Albert  Gallatin,  as  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
from  1801  to  1807,  and  from  1809  to  1811.  Bound  in  one  volume 
and  arranged  chronologically,  with  no  index  or  table  of  contents. 
"  The  Writings  of  Albert  Gallatin  "  (Henry  Adams,  editor)  contain 
none  of  these  letters. 


BUREAU   OF  BOLLS   AND   LIBRARY.  25 

26.  Iberville  and  Bienville  Journal. 

"  Journal  historique  concernant  retablissement  des  fran9ais  a  la 
Louisianne.  Tire  des  memoires  de  Messieurs  D'Iberville  et  de  Bien- 
ville, commandants  pour  le  Roi  au  dit  pays,  et  sur  les  decouvertes  et 
recherches  de  IVI.  Bernard  de  la  Harpe  nomme  au  commandement  de 
la  Baye  St.  Bernard."  Apparently  written  about  1800,  this  manu- 
script reviews  the  history  of  Louisiana  from  1510  to  1723  and  includes: 
(a)  A  letter  by  P.  Cervallos  Aranjuez,  April  13,  1805,  trying  to  show 
that  Louisiana  as  a  French  province  did  not  include  Texas.  (b)  A 
letter  from  N.  Salcedo  to  Governor  W.  C.  C.  Claiborne,  of  September 
18,  1806.  (c)  A  letter  from  A.  Cordero  to  General  James  Wilkinson 
of  October  11,  1800. 

27.  Impressed  Seamen,  1806-1810. 

Account-book  of  the  United  States  Consul  at  Plymouth  in  1812: 
"Expense  of  relief  of  American  Seamen";  also  a  "Descriptive  list 
of  Seamen,  1806-1815  ". 

28.  Correspondence  of  Talleyrand,  R.  R.  Livingston,  and  M.  Cathelan, 
Evidence  in  French  spoliation  claims,  relating  to  seamen, 

29.  Burros  Conspiracy,  1806-1816  (1  vol.). 

Letters  relating  to  Burr's  conspiracy.  W.  F.  McCaleb  states  that 
these  letters  are  "  extremely  significant  "  and  "  make  clearer  the  whole 
view  of  the  conspiracy,  especially  the  latter  phase  of  it  centering  in 
the  trial  at  Richmond "  ("  The  Aaron  Burr  Conspiracy ",  preface, 
xiv). 

30.  Miscellaneous  Papers,  1806-1828  {1  package). 

These  hundred  or  more  papers  are  chiefly  between  1812  and  1828, 
and  include: 

a.  Undated  report,  later  than  1822,  on  the  island  of  Cuba,  pre- 
pared by  J.  R.  Poinsett  for  the  President  of  the  United  States.  He 
comes  to  the  conclusion  that  Cuba  is  important  to  the  maritime  security 
of  the  south  and  that  care  should  be  taken  that  no  power  nor  negro 
republic  establish  itself  there. 

b.  General  Hull's  proclamation  of  1812. 

c.  Tench  Coxe's  observations  on  the  subject  of  a  treaty  with 
England  (later  than  1805). 

d.  General  reflections  on  American  independence  (Madrid,  Decem- 
ber 23,  1814),  urging  that  Spain  take  advantage  of  present  circum- 
stances to  fortify  her  possessions  in  America  against  the  encroachment 
of  the  United  States  (twenty  pages  of  manuscript) . 


26  DEPARTMENT   OF   STATE. 

e.  Proclamation  of  Brigadier-General  Alexander  Smith,  in  camp 
near  Buffalo,,  November  17,  1812. 

f.  Memorandum  of  the  dress  of  an  American  minister  as  fixed  by  the 
mission  to  Ghent. 

g.  "  An  account  of  a  mission  or  tour  of  Observation  and  Inquiry 
throughout  the  British  W.  I.  Colonies,  by  command  of  the  President  of 
the  United  States.  Commenced  July  28,  1827,  and  closed  June  2,  1828, 
by  R.  M.  Harrison,  consul  of  the  United  States  for  the  island  of  St. 
Bartholemew."  This  account  takes  the  form  of  letters  to  Henry 
Clay,  Secretary  of  State. 

h.  "  Notes  on  the  restrictions  imposed  by  Great  Britain  on  Com- 
merce of  Neutrals  with  the  Colonies  of  their  Enemies  in  time  of  War." 
This  is  undated  and  unsigned  and  comprises  fifty  pages  of  manuscript. 

i.  "Journal  No.  10.  Begun  17th  of  June,  1790"  (ended  July  8, 
1791).  This  journal  was  kept,  apparently,  by  the  private  secretary 
of  Jefferson. 

SI.  Log-Booh  of  the  Ship  Lexington,  1807-1808. 

New  York  to  Bremen,  and  Amsterdam  to  Baltimore,  December, 
1807-1808.     Timothy  Gardner,  master. 

32.  John  Henry  Papers,  1809-1811   (large  bundle). 

Henry  was  a  spy  sent  to  Boston  by  the  Governor-General  of  Canada. 
These  papers  and  information  were  purchased  by  President  Madison 
(see  "  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents  ",  i,  498). 

33.  South  American  Revolt,  1810-1820  (1  vol.). 

Letters,  papers,  declarations,  credentials,  etc.,  relating  to  the  revolt 
in  the  Spanish  provinces,  1810-1820.  These  are  of  considerable  in- 
terest; there  are  a  number  of  papers  signed  by  B.  O'Higgins;  formal 
appeals  to  the  United  States  government;  reports  of  special  agents 
sent  by  Madison  and  Monroe  to  observe  conditions  in  South  America, 
etc.  One  report,  by  J.  H.  Robinson,  on  Mexican  affairs,  is  of  the 
utmost  interest.  Some  of  these  papers  are  printed  (see  under  South 
America  in  "American  State  Papers,  Foreign  Relations",  iv).  The 
papers  are  arranged  chronologically  and  in  the  front  of  the  volume  is 
a  table  of  the  contents  of  the  first  half  of  the  collection. 

34.  Kosloff  A  fair,  1815-1816  {1  vol.). 

Papers  relating  to  the  complications  arising  out  of  the  arrest  of 
N.  Kosloff,  consul-general  of  Russia,  at  Philadelphia.  The  questions 
which  arose  were  those  of  the  status  of  a  consular  officer,  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  state  and  federal  courts  in  such  a  case,  etc.     The  papers  con- 


BUREAU   OF  BOLLS   AND   LIBRARY,  27 

sist    of    diplomatic    correspondence^    copies    of    judicial    proceedings, 
evidence,  etc. 

35.  Negotiations   for  a   Commercial    Treaty   with   European   Powers, 
1816-1818. 
Papers  and  correspondence  of  Adams,  Gallatin,  and  Rush  at  Lon- 
don. 

86.  J.  B.  Prevost  Papers,  1817-1825  (1   vol.). 

Mr.  Prevost's  instructions  from  the  President,  September  25,  1817, 
were  to  discharge  several  commissions  at  Rio  Janeiro  and  other  South 
American  ports,  to  which  he  was  to  be  carried  on  the  sloop  "  Ontario  " 
(Captain  Biddle),  and  thence  "  proceed  to  the  River  Columbia  with 
a  view  to  assert  there  the  claim  of  sovereignty  in  the  name  and  on  the 
behalf  of  the  United  States,  by  some  symbolical  or  other  appropriate 
mode  of  setting  up  a  claim  to  national  authority  and  dominion  ",  though 
without  force.  In  1818,  after  discharging  his  duty  in  the  matter  of 
the  Columbia  River,  Mr.  Prevost  returned  to  Chile  and  Peru,  whence 
he  kept  up  an  active  correspondence  with  the  President  of  the  United 
States  until  1825.  The  correspondence  bears  on  the  revolt  of  the 
Spanish  provinces.  Three  of  the  letters  are  printed  in  "  American 
State  Papers,  Foreign  Relations  "  (iv,  826-827) :  Prevost  to  Secre- 
tary of  State,  June  30,  1821;  Prevost  to  Secretary  of  State  of  Chile, 
June  18,  1821;  B.  O'Higgins  to  Prevost,  June  23,  1821. 

87.  Privateers  in  South  American  Waters,  1819  (small  bundle). 
Depositions  relating  to  privateers  fitted  out  in  Baltimore,   and  to 

their  depredations  in  South  American  waters.     These  vessels,  acting 
as  privateers  for  the  provinces  of  La  Plata,  attacked  French  ships. 

88.  Register  of  Passengers,  1820,  and  Index  to  Passenger  Register 

(1  vol.  each). 
See  act  regulating  passenger  ships  and  vessels,  approved  March  2, 
1819   (3  Stat.  L.  488). 

89.  Piratical  Acts,  about  1820. 

Letters,  memorials,  etc.,  containing  lists  of  piratical  acts  and  ac- 
counts of  individual  cases  of  piracy. 

J^O.  List  of  Despatches  forwarded  to  TV.  B.  Taylor,  1831-1833. 

Chronological  list  of  despatches  forwarded  to  W.  B.  Taylor,  de- 
spatch agent  at  New  York. 


28  DEPARTMENT   OF   STATE. 

J^l.  Spanish  Pirates,  1835. 

Chest  of  papers  relating  to  the  capture  and  trial  of,  and  the  at- 
tempts to  release  seven  Spaniards  condemned  in  the  United  States  for 
piracy. 

^2.  Texas,  i8^2-18U' 

Archives  of  the  United  States  legation  in  Texas.  Bundle  of  papers 
containing  letters,  chiefly  of  a  confidential  nature,  from  Webster,  Up- 
shur, and  Calhoun  to  the  legation.  These  papers  throw  light  on  the 
causes  of  the  Mexican  War. 

Ji.3.  Buenos  Ayres,  IS^Jf.  (1   vol.). 

Correspondence  of  Captain  Vorhees,  Commodore  Turner,  and  oth- 
ers, 1844.  The  two  commanders  had  a  controversy  with  the  fleet  of 
the  Buenos  Ayres  belligerents,  and  this  correspondence  of  200  pages 
resulted. 

J^J^.  Log-book  and  Account-hooh  of  the  Steamer  La  Virgin. 

Used  as  evidence  before  the  Mixed  Claims  Commission  under  the 
convention  of  1860  with  Costa  Rica. 

JfS.  List  of  French  Imports  under  Tariffs  of  18Jf6  and  1857. 
Showing  the  reduction  of  imports. 

Jf.6.  Liberia,  181^.1^.  (small  bundle). 

Petitions  to  acknowledge  independence  of  Liberia. 

4-7.  Reciprocity  with  Canada,  18Jf8—187Jf.. 

Papers  relating  to  treaty  of  1854  with  Great  Britain,  together  with 
miscellaneous  loose  papers,  such  as  letters  from  manufacturers  con- 
cerning reciprocity  with  Canada,  statements  as  to  Canadian  trade,  etc. 

Ji.8.  Jefferson  Davis  Papers,  1853-1854-. 

Package  labeled  "  These  belong  in  the  Jeff'erson  Davis  Trunk  ",  and 
containing  many  letters  to  Davis  of  dates  1853—1854,  and  some  letters 
to  Lewis  Cass  and  others.  They  concern  a  great  variety  of  subjects 
from  the  Rio  Grande  and  the  northern  boundary  to  a  cotton-planting 
machine. 

49.  Miscellaneous  Letters,  1861-1862. 

A  bundle  of  letters,  mostly  to  Secretary  Seward,  on  various  sub- 
jects, mainly  about  appointments.  There  are  a  few  papers  of  some 
value,  as  reports  and  letters  of  special  agents  relating  to  aid  furnished 
Confederates  through  the  west  and  Canada,  and  to  such  organizations 
as  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle,  but  with  little  detailed  informa- 


DIPLOMATIC  AND  CONSULAR  BUREAUS.  2 

tion.  There  are  newspaper  clippings  and  letters  of  advice  sent  to 
Seward  in  regard  to  the  Mason-Slidell  affair,  including  two  letters 
from  Edward  Everett.  A  letter  from  Bristol,  England,  to  London 
(February  12,  1862),  forwarded  to  Seward,  contains  information  about 
vessels  loading  and  intending  to  run  the  blockade.  There  are  some 
applications  of  foreign  officers  for  appointments  in  the  United  States 
army,  and  a  few  applications  for  the  exchange  of  certain  prisoners. 

50.  Affairs  in  New  Orleans,  1862. 

Report  by  Reverdy  Johnson  on  difficulties  between  General  Butler 
and  various  inhabitants  of  New  Orleans,  especially  Amadee  Couturie, 
consul  of  the  Netherlands.  Except  a  few  letters  between  Johnson 
and  Couturie,  all  is  printed  in  S.  Ex.  Doc.  16,  37  Cong.,  3  sess. 

51.  Memorial  to  William  Seward,  186S. 

Relating  to  Washington  A.  Bartlett,  ex-lieutenant  United  States 
Navy,  and  asking  for  his  restoration  to  office  in  the  Navy. 

52.  Journal  of  Midshipman  Clarence  Gary,  Confederate  Navy,  1864-. 
Evidence  in  the  Alabama  claims. 

53.  Address  of  the  Citizens  of  Switzerland,  1865, 

Expressing  satisfaction  at  the  close  of  the  war  and  sorrow  at  the 
death  of  Lincoln.     Autograph  copy.  May   1,   1865. 

5^.  Ten  Letter-Boohs  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  United  States  to 
the  Vienna  Exposition  of  1875. 

55.  Medals  to  the  United  States  and  Individuals  from  the  Paris  Ex- 
position of  1878. 

DIPLOMATIC   BUREAU. 

The  Diplomatic  Bureau  is  wholly  occupied  with  conducting  the  dip- 
lomatic correspondence.  It  has  no  archives  of  its  own,  all  the  cor- 
respondence which  it  conducts  being  deposited  in  the  Bureau  of  In- 
dexes and  Archives  (see  Michael,  47-49). 

CONSULAR   BUREAU. 

The  Consular  Bureau  conducts  all  the  correspondence  of  and  relat- 
ing to  the  consular  service.  This  correspondence  is  filed  in  the  Bu- 
reau of  Indexes  and  Archives.  Like  the  Diplomatic  Bureau,  the  Con- 
sular Bureau  has  no  important  files  of  its  own.  It  keeps  a  record  of 
the  notarial  fees  received  by  consuls,  leaves  of  absence,  dates  of  trans- 
fers, etc.  (see  Michael,  50-54). 


30  DEPARTMENT   OF   STATE. 

BUREAU   OF    APPOINTMENTS. 

The  files  of  the  Bureau  of  Appointments  consist  of  applications  for 
appointment  to  office,  recommendations,  copies  of  commissions,  records 
of  nominations  and  appointments  since  1789,  oaths  of  office,  amnesty 
oaths,  extradition  papers,  and  the  records  of  pardons  issued  prior  to 
June  16,  1893.  The  application  papers,  which  constitute  the  larger 
part  of  the  files,  are  arranged  by  names  of  applicants,  and  with  each 
application  are  filed  the  papers,  recommendations,  etc.,  relating  thereto. 
A  card-index  renders  the  papers  readily  accessible  (see  Michael,  83- 
86).  The  earlier  papers  are  calendared  in  Gaillard  Hunt's  "Calen- 
dar of  Applications  and  Recommendations  for  Office  during  the  Presi- 
dency of  George  Washington  "  (Washington,  1901).  The  Great  Seal 
of  the  United  States  is  in  the  custody  of  this  bureau,  and  the  bureau 
publishes  the  "  Annual  Register  of  the  Department  of  State  "  and  the 
periodical  lists  of  diplomatic  and  consular  officers.  Robert  Brent 
Mosher's  "Executive  Register  of  the  United  States,  1789-1902" 
(Baltimore,  1903)  contains  a  list,  compiled  from  the  files  of  this 
bureau,  of  all  cabinet  officers  since  1789,  together  with  the  exact  dates 
of  their  terms  of  office. 

BUREAU   OF    ACCOUNTS. 

The  Bureau  of  Accounts  has  the  records  and  accounts  of  all  money 
received  or  disbursed  through  the  Department  of  State.  These  ac- 
counts are  classified  as  follows:  (a)  International  indemnities  or  trust 
funds;  (6)  Diplomatic  and  consular  accounts;  (c)  Accounts  of  the 
department  proper.  In  addition  to  these  accounts  the  bureau  has  a 
record  of  all  the  passports  issued  for  the  last  hundred  years.  The 
seal  of  the  Department  of  State  is  in  the  custody  of  the  Bureau  of 
Accounts,  which  keeps  a  record  of  all  authentications  of  federal  and 
state  seals  that  are  made  by  affixing  the  department  seal.  The  tele- 
graphic work  of  the  department  is  performed  by  this  bureau  (see 
Michael,  56-59). 

BUREAU  OF  TRADE  RELATIONS. 

Until  the  creation  of  the  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor  in 
July,  1903,  the  Bureau  of  Trade  Relations  (then  known  as  the  Bureau 
of  Foreign  Commerce)  was  engaged  in  publishing  the  various  consu- 
lar reports  relating  to  commerce  and  foreign  industry.  These  reports 
are  now  published  by  the  Division  of  Consular  Reports  of  the  Bureau 
of  Statistics,  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor,  and  the  work  of 


BUREAU   OF  BOLLS   AND   LIBRARY.  SI 

the  Bureau  of  Trade  Relations  is  confined  to  collecting  and  revising 
the  material  for  the  published  reports,  and  transmitting  it  to  the 
Bureau  of  Statistics  for  editing  and  publication.  The  material  is 
largely  made  up  of  reports  from  consular  officers,  on  various  subjects, 
and,  to  a  small  extent,  of  extracts  from  the  consular  archives.  It  fol- 
lows, then,  that  the  only  original  unprinted  material  preserved  in  the 
Bureau  of  Trade  Relations  is  such  as  is  not  selected  from  the  reports 
and  despatches  for  publication,  either  because  of  its  unimportance  or 
because  publication  would  be  unwise.  This  material  is  accessible  to 
the  investigator  unless,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Department  of  State,  it 
is  of  such  a  nature  that  it  should  not  be  used.  The  original  manu- 
scripts from  which  the  reports  from  1892  to  July  1,  1903,  were  pre- 
pared are  on  file  in  the  bureau.  Those  since  July  1,  1903,  are  in  the 
custody  of  the  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor. 


TREASURY    DEPARTMENT. 

There  is  no  general  history  of  the  Treasury  Department  correspond- 
ing to  Michael's  "  History  of  the  State  Department ".  A  book  pub- 
lished in  1847  by  Robert  Mayo,  entitled  "The  Treasury  Department 
and  Its  Various  Fiscal  Bureaus"  (Washington,  1847),  is  valuable  for 
the  account  it  contains  of  the  history  of  the  department  and  of  its 
bureaus  during  the  first  half -century,  and  for  the  picture  it  gives  of 
the  workings  of  the  department  in  1847.  In  the  same  way  George 
N.  Lamphere's  "  The  United  States  Government "  (Philadelphia, 
1880,  pp.  44—141)  contains  an  excellent  account  of  the  duties  and 
functions  of  the  various  bureaus  of  the  department  as  they  were  per- 
formed in  1880;  and  part  two  of  the  "  Cockrell  Report"  (S.  Rept. 
507,  50  Cong.,  1  sess.)  constitutes  a  very  detailed  description  of  the 
methods  of  work  in  each  bureau  and  office  in  1887-1888.  Finally  the 
various  reports  bound  in  volume  ii  of  the  House  Reports  (53  Cong., 
1  sess.)  contain  accounts  of  the  methods  of  work,  especially  those  of 
accounting,  in  the  department,  and  recommendations  as  to  changes 
which  were  eventually  carried  out.  Under  the  respective  bureaus  and 
offices  described  below  will  be  found  specific  references  to  other  de- 
scriptions or  histories. 

By  far  the  greater  part  of  the  files  of  the  Treasury  Department 
has  but  slight  historical  value,  and  papers  that  are  of  interest  are 


32  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

generally  so  scattered  throughout  the  great  mass  of  unimportant  ma- 
terial as  to  be  practically  inaccessible  to  the  student.  What  value 
the  papers  have  is  generally  of  a  special  rather  than  a  general  charac- 
ter and  for  the  information  they  contain  about  administrative  processes. 
In  the  few  cases  specifically  mentioned  below  there  exist  collections  of 
papers  of  great  value,  but  they  have  been  either  purchased  by  the 
government  or  segregated  from  the  purely  administrative  records. 
There  are  no  general  accounts  of  the  historical  material  in  the  depart- 
ment nor  published  guides  to  its  files. 

The  files  of  the  department  have  suffered  severely  from  fires.  The 
losses  in  1801  were  comparatively  slight,  but  in  1814  the  Register's 
office  lost  heavily,  and  in  1833  the  correspondence  filed  in  the  Secre- 
tary's office  was  burned.  In  recent  years  great  quantities  of  papers 
in  various  bureaus  have  been  destroyed  as  valueless.  The  extent  of 
the  files  is  very  great;  in  one  office  alone  they  cover  over  ten  miles 
of  shelving,  and  this  showing  could  be  duplicated  in  other  offices.  It 
is  extremely  difficult  to  form  any  estimate  of  their  aggregate  bulk,  but 
it  would  doubtless  be  erring  on  the  side  of  conservatism  to  put  it  at 
nearly  one  hundred  miles  of  shelving;  in  other  words,  at  more  than 
twice  the  present  capacity  of  the  Library  of  Congress.  At  present 
the  files  are  somewhat  scattered,  but  most  of  them  are  in  the  Treasury 
building,  a  storage  building  on  E  Street,  and  in  the  Cox  building,  on 
New  York  Avenue.  The  papers  in  this  last  depository  cannot  be  said 
to  be  adequately  protected  from  fire;  the  building  is  old,  never  was 
fire-proof,  and  is  full  of  inflammable  material.  Every  precaution  is 
observed  by  those  in  charge,  but  should  a  fire  once  start,  the  destruc- 
tion of  a  vast  amount  of  valuable  material  would  be  inevitable.  The 
papers  filed  in  the  storage  building  on  E  Street  are  in  no  danger  from 
fire,  but  the  conditions  there  prohibit  any  research  by  investigators. 
In  the  Treasury  building  the  files  in  nearly  every  bureau  are  greatly 
crowded,  thus  preventing  in  many  cases  their  ready  use  by  students. 

The  proper  method  of  gaining  access  to  the  files  is  by  application 
to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  Many  classes  of  records  are  consid- 
ered confidential  and  cannot  be  used  for  purposes  of  investigation. 

DIVISION  OF  MAIL  AND  FILES,  OFFICE  OF  THE  SECRETARY. 

The  duties  of  the  Mail  and  Files  Division  are  largely  confined  to 
recording  and  filing  the  Secretary's  correspondence.  Letters  received 
are  here  briefed  and  indexed,  transmitted  to  the  bureau  or  division 
to  which  they  relate,  and  finally  returned  to  this  division  to  be  filed, 
and  in  like  manner  letters  sent  are  here  briefed  and  indexed  and  press 


DIVISION    OF   MAIL   AND    FILES.  33 

copies  of  them  placed  on  file.  Thus  this  division  is  the  repository 
of  all  the  Secretary's  correspondence,  and  its  files  are  among  the  most 
important  in  the  department.  An  excellent  description  of  the  duties 
of  this  division  is  contained  in  the  "  Cockrell  Report ". 

There  were  no  losses  in  the  Secretary's  Office  in  the  fire  of  January 
20,  1801  ("American  State  Papers,  Miscellaneous",  i,  241-243),  nor 
during  the  invasion  of  the  British  in  August,  1814  (ibid.,  11,  248-249)  ; 
but  after  the  fire  of  March  31,  1833,  the  Secretary  reported  to  Con- 
gress that  all  the  Secretary's  correspondence  had  been  destroyed  ex- 
cept (1)  correspondence  relating  to  Revolutionary  claims;  (2)  corre- 
spondence relating  to  applications  under  the  insolvency  laws;  (3)  two 
record-books  containing  letters  to  banks;  (4)  two  record-books  con- 
taining communications  to  Congress  (H.  Ex.  Doc.  22,  23  Cong.,  2 
sess.).  Other  correspondence  was  recovered  later  and,  as  is  shown 
below,  the  files  in  many  cases  antedate  1833.  For  the  destruction  of 
useless  papers  in  this  division  see  Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51  Cong.,  1  sess., 
and  Sen.  Doc.  246,  55  Cong.,  2  sess. 

It  is  difficult  to  describe  clearly  the  method  of  arranging  and  filing 
the  correspondence  of  the  Secretary's  Office,  inasmuch  as  it  has  passed 
through  a  process  of  evolution  marked  by  many  changes.  In  general 
the  correspondence  may  be  divided  into  two  parts :  ( 1 )  letters  received 
and  (2)  letters  sent.  The  letters  received  are  preserved  in  bound 
volumes  and  in  file-boxes,  and  are  variously  classified.  As  a  general 
rule  the  letters  received  before  1869  were  arranged  according  to  their 
source  and  character,  as:  Executive  Letters;  Customs  Letters;  Mis- 
cellaneous Letters,  etc.  Many  letters,  however,  of  these  earlier  dates 
failed  to  be  included  in  the  bound  volumes,  and  as  a  result  there  are 
supplemental  series  of  letters,  preserved  in  file-boxes,  extending  over 
the  same  periods  covered  by  the  letters  bound  in  volumes.  For  the 
most  part  the  letters  received  since  1869  are  kept  in  file-boxes,  arranged 
according  to  the  different  classes  of  writers.  At  present  the  larger 
part  of  these  later  letters  are  stored  in  a  warehouse  on  E  Street,  and 
anything  like  an  inventory  or  even  a  superficial  examination  of  them 
is  impossible.  The  investigator  who  desires  to  examine  the  letters 
from  any  particular  person  or  of  any  particular  date  or  on  any  par- 
ticular subject  could  doubtless,  with  the  aid  of  the  clerks  in  charge, 
find  such  material. 

The  letters  sent  prior  to  1878  were  for  the  most  part  preserved  in 

duplicate,  by  press  copies  and  by  copies  in  long-hand  in  large  ledger 

volumes.     It  frequently  happens  that  in  a  series  there  may  be  lacking 

certain  press  copies  or  certain  long-hand  copies,  but  it  is   generally 

4 


34  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

true  that  from  these  combined  sources  a  complete  series  can  be  fur- 
nished. The  press  copies  are  regarded  as  more  trustworthy,  and  are 
the  more  used  by  the  department.  In  the  inventory  below  no  attempt 
has  been  made  to  indicate  the  duplication  except  in  cases  where  a  com- 
plete series  can  be  made  up  only  by  using  both  sets  of  copies.  These 
copies  of  letters  sent  are  arranged  according  to  their  character  and 
the  classes  of  persons  to  whom  they  were  directed,  as:  Congress  Let- 
ters; Miscellaneous  Letters,  etc.  The  classification  varies,  and  in  1878 
an  abrupt  change  was  made.  The  long-hand  copies  were  discontinued, 
and  the  press  copies  were  thereafter  arranged  under  headings  corre- 
sponding to  the  various  divisions  of  the  Secretary's  Office.  The  letters 
for  each  division  are  bound  in  volumes  in  strict  chronological  order, 
and  by  means  of  the  numerical  system  and  an  excellent  finding  index 
can  in  general  be  readily  located.  This  is  the  system  in  use  at  the 
present  time.  The  letters  sent  are  more  accessible  than  the  letters 
received;  they  naturally  occupy  less  space  and  it  is  possible  to  store 
them  all  in  the  sub-basement  of  the  Treasury  building  and  in  the  Cox 
building  on  New  York  Avenue.  Very  many  of  the  press  copies  before 
1878  are  wholly  illegible  or  can  be  read  only  with  the  greatest  diffi- 
culty, but  frequently  the  long-hand  copies  supply  the  necessary  sug- 
gestions. The  press  copies  since  1878  are  for  the  most  part  made 
from  type-written  letters  and  are  perfectly  legible. 

The  current  correspondence  is  fully  indexed  by  the  card-system, 
which  was  introduced  in  August,  1902.  The  letters  from  1833  to  1902 
were  indexed  in  large  ledger  volumes  by  varying  methods,  while  an 
incomplete  index,  covering  the  years  1789—1878,  is  of  use  only  as  it 
serves  as  a  guide  to  material  of  earlier  date  than  1833.  In  many  of 
the  volumes  of  press  copies  prior  to  1878  are  lists  of  names  of  the 
persons  to  whom  the  letters  are  addressed,  and  in  some  cases  the  sub- 
jects of  the  letters  are  stated.  This  method  of  indexing  is  of  practi- 
cally no  service  to  the  investigator  and  should  not  be  depended  upon. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  estimate  the  amount  of  this  correspondence. 
As  already  indicated,  it  is  stored  in  three  places;  the  clerk  in  charge 
thought  that  there  might  be  10,000  or  more  file-boxes  of  letters  and 
papers  received,  and  perhaps  1,000  volumes  of  press  copies  (the  vol- 
umes are  very  bulky)  made  since  1878.  The  bulk  of  the  press  copies 
made  prior  to  that  date  is  indicated  in  the  inventory  below;  it  may 
be  placed  at  from  1,200  to  1,300  volumes. 

These  files  are  in  constant  use  by  the  department,  and  letters  of 
the  earliest  dates  are  frequently  called  for.  Whether  the  investigator 
could  obtain  access  to  them  would  depend  upon  his  purpose  and  upon 


DIVISION   OF  MAIL   AND   FILES.  35 

the  character  of  the  material  he  desired  to  use;  much  of  the  corre- 
spondence is  of  a  confidential  nature. 

I.     CORRESPOKDEKCE    WITH    EXECUTIVE    OFFICERS.* 

1.  Presidents'  Letters,  1833-1878  (5  vols.). 

Letters  to  the  President  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  includ- 
ing many  letters  transmitted  to  the  President  with  the  action  of  the 
President  shown  in  the  indorsements.  These  letters  are  largely  about 
details  of  the  administration  of  the  department,  as  buildings,  coast  sur- 
veys, appointments  of  collectors,  etc.  For  example,  volume  i,  1833— 
1836,  contains  such  subjects  as  tonnage  on  Mexican  vessels,  removal 
of  public  moneys  to  banks,  petition  of  Portland  citizens  for  removal 
of  the  public  money  in  a  Portland  bank,  payment  of  indemnity  by  the 
Kingdom  of  the  Two  Sicilies,  etc.;  volume  v,  1857—1878,  contains  many 
opinions  respecting  proposed  legislation,  in  reply  to  requests  from 
the  President. 

2.  Letters  to  Cabinet  and  Bureau  Officers,  1833-1878  (I4.I  vols.). 
The  volumes  are  variously  grouped  as  follows: 

a.  Executive  letters,   1833-1854   (25  vols.). 

b.  Cabinet  and  bureaus,  1854-1860   (16  vols.). 

c.  Cabinet,  1861-1866   (7  vols.). 

d.  Bureaus,  1861-1866  (10  vols.). 

e.  Treasury  Department,  1867-1878   (33  vols.). 
/.  Department  of  Justice,  1866-1878    (15  vols.). 
g.  Department  of  the  Interior,  1866-1878  (5  vols.). 
h.  Navy  Department,  1866-1878    (2  vols.). 

i.  Post  Office  Department,  1866-1878   (2  vols.). 

j.  State  Department,  1866-1878   (14  vols.). 

k.  Captured  and  abandoned  property,  1868-1878   (7  vols.). 

*  It  will  be  noticed  that  in  the  following  inventory  most  of  the  series  begin 
with  1833  and  end  with  1878.  The  reasons  for  this  have  been  given  above:  the 
abrupt  beginning  is  due  to  fires,  the  abrupt  ending  to  the  change  in  the  method 
of  filing.  The  letters  sent  are  continued  after  1878  under  the  respective  divis- 
ions of  the  Secretary's  Oflfice,  as  follows:  Book-keeping  and  Warrants;  Public 
Moneys;  Customs;  Loans  and  Currency;  Revenue-Cutter  Service;  Stationery, 
Printing,  and  Blanks;  Special  Agents;  Mail  and  Files  and  Bureau  of  the  Mint; 
Supervising  Architect;  Marine-Hospital  Service;  Life-Saving  Service;  Superin- 
tendent of  Building  and  Chief  Clerk.  The  letters  received  are  continued  to 
date  in  file-boxes  instead  of  in  bound  volumes,  and  are  variously  arranged.  In 
the  inventory  the  attempt  has  been  made  to  group  the  series  by  subjects  rather 
than  as  letters  sent  and  letters  received,  which  is  the  arrangement  under  which 
the  method  of  fihng  has  been  explained  above. 


36  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, 

I.  War  Department,  1866-1878   (5  vols.). 

These  letters  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  officers  of  the 
Cabinet  and  the  different  bureaus  are  on  various  subjects,  such  as 
matters  of  routine,  appointments,  interpretations  of  tariff  laws,  de- 
posits in  the  Bank  of  the  United  States,  disposition  of  the  French  in- 
demnity, captured  property,  suits  for  the  evasion  of  the  tariff  laws, 
free  importations  for  the  use  of  the  government  and  of  foreign  min- 
isters, etc.  In  general,  this  material  is  of  rather  meager  historical 
interest.  The  letters  to  the  Department  of  Justice  show  the  action 
taken  in  cases  of  disputes  over  payment  of  duties,  and  should  be  of 
considerable  value.  The  letters  under  the  heading  (k)  Captured  and 
abandoned  property,  should  be  valuable  for  a  study  of  the  period  of 
Reconstruction. 

3.  Letters  from  Executive  Officers,  1819,  1833-1869  (133  vols.). 

These  volumes  are  supplemented  by  file-boxes  of  papers  which  failed 
to  be  bound  with  the  other  papers  and  which  in  a  few  cases  extend  as 
far  back  as  1819.  All  the  papers  since  1869  are  filed  in  boxes  under 
various  titles.  These  letters  are  from  the  President,  Cabinet,  and 
officers  in  executive  departments,  such  as  comptroller,  solicitor,  au- 
ditors, commissioners  of  customs,  Light-House  Board,  Land  Office,  etc. 
They  are  among  the  most  interesting  in  the  Secretary's  files. 

II.  Correspondence  with  Congress. 
1.  Congressional  Letters,  1806—1878  (66  vols,  in  fair  and  press 
copies). 
Letters  to  Congress  arranged  under  various  titles,  such  as  "  Con- 
gressional Letters  ",  "  To  the  Speaker  ",  "  To  the  President  of  the 
Senate  ",  "  To  Committees  ",  "  To  Members  ",  etc.  Various  subjects, 
such  as  appointments,  appropriations,  establishment  of  ports  of  entry, 
proposed  legislation,  etc.,  are  discussed. 

III.    Correspondence  with  Officers  of  Justice. 

1.  Letters  to  the  Judiciary,  1828-1878. 
a.   1828-1844   (7  vols,  fair  copies). 

h.   1833-1878  (14  vols,  press  copies). 

Here  the  policy  of  the  department  in  regard  to  cases  arising  out 
of  customs  duties  is  shown.  Letters  to  marshals,  district  attorneys, 
etc.,  are  found,  relating  chiefly  to  law-suits  and  actions  arising  out  of 
evasion  of  customs;  they  seem  to  be  of  slight  historical  value. 

2.  Letters  to  Attorneys  and  Marshals,  184-6-1850  (J^.  vols.). 


DIVISION   OF  MAIL   AND   FILES.  37 

IV.    General  Correspondence. 

1.  Miscellaneous  Letters  sent,  1789-1878, 
a.   1789-1832   (1  vol.  fair  copies). 

h.   1833-1878  (190  vols,  press  copies). 

This  correspondence  between  the  department  and  merchants  and  the 
public  in  general  contains  a  great  deal  of  very  interesting  material. 
Many  questions  pertaining  to  the  administration  of  the  tariff  are 
treated,  and  a  careful  search  would  probably  reveal  much  of  historical 
value  on  various  subjects,  especially  in  the  war  periods. 

2.  Miscellaneous  Letters  received,  1801-1869  (113  vols.) 

Here  are  letters  to  the  department  from  the  general  public  dealing 
with  a  great  variety  of  subjects,  such  as  personal  introductions,  im- 
portations, frauds,  operation  of  tariffs,  blockade  running,  seizures,  de- 
tentions, etc.     In  many  cases  they  possess  great  interest. 

V.    Correspondence  Relating  to  the  U.  S.  Bank  and  the  Deposits. 

1.  Letters  to  Banks,  1832-18^.9  (5  vols,  fair  copies). 

Letters  relating  to  public  deposits,  disputes  with  United  States 
Bank,  etc.;  probably  containing  much  valuable  material. 

2.  Jackson  to  Duane,  June,  1833  (1  vol.  of  70  pages). 

These  private  letters  relate  to  the  removal  of  deposits  from  the 
United  States  Bank  and  are  of  great  interest.  Printed  in  Duane's 
"  Narrative  of  the  Removal  of  the  Deposits'*  (Philadelphia,  1838). 

3.  State  Deposits,  1836-1837  (1  vol.). 

Correspondence  with  governors  relating  to  state  deposits,  under  the 
act  of  June  23,  1836  (5  Stat.  L.  52),  and  to  transfer-drafts  upon 
banks  in  which  public  money  was  kept,  and  directing  transfers  of 
various  sums  by  the  different  states. 

VI.    Correspondence  Relating  to  Public  Lands. 

1.  Letters  to  General  and  Local  Land  Offlces,  1801-1878. 
a.   1801-1840  (34  vols,  press  copies). 

h.   1839-1878  (6  vols,  fair  copies). 

These  letters  to  land  offices  in  the  west  and  southwest  contain  very 
suggestive  material  relating  to  the  administration  of  the  public  lands, 
complaints  of  new  settlers,  etc. 

2.  Letters  from  Land  Offices,  1833-18U  (^S  vols.). 

These  letters  relate  to  the  actual  administration  of  the  Land  Office, 
are  valuable  to  the  student  of  land  questions,  and  suggest  many  of  the 
practical  administrative  problems. 


38  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

VII.   Correspondence  Relating  to  the  Customs. 

1.  Letters  to  the  Collector  at  Baltimore,  1790-1830  (1  vol.). 
These  are  the  original  letters  to  the  collector  at  Baltimore  relating 

to  the  administration  of  the  customs^  the  interpretation  of  the  law,  in- 
structions, forfeitures,  etc.  They  are  arranged  chronologically  and  are 
indexed  by  name  and  subject. 

2.  Letters  to  Collectors  of  Customs  at  Small  Ports,  1883-1878  (about 

100  vols.). 
These  letters  contain  instructions,  as,  for  example,  Taney's  order  to 
the  collectors  to  place  their  funds  in  the  local  banks  and  not  in  the 
branches  of  the  United  States  Bank.     For  the  most  part  the  instruc- 
tions relate  to  routine  business. 

S.  Letters  to  the  Collector  of  the  Port  of  Nerv  York,  18^8-1878  (120 
vols.). 
These  letters  are  of  value  in  the  study  of  the  practical  application 
of  the  tariff. 

4-  Letters  to  the  Collectors  of  Boston,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  Nerv 
Orleans,  and  the  Pacific  Ports,  1850-1878  (115  vols.). 

5.  Letters  from  Collectors,  1833-1869  (225  vols.). 

These  letters  cover  a  great  variety  of  subj  ects  corresponding  to  those 
treated  in  Letters  to  Collectors.  Many  letters  have  much  historical 
value,  for  example,  those  relating  to  the  interpretation  of  the  laws  in 
the  admission  of  gold  from  California  in  1849. 

6.  Charges  against  Custom-House  Officers,  1833-1861  (18  vols.). 

7.  Letters  to  Appraisers,  Surveyors,  etc.,  181^5-1878  (31  vols.). 
These  letters  contain  much  interesting  material  such  as  instructions, 

interpretations,  etc.,  showing  the  practical  administration  of  the  cus- 
toms. 

8.  "  Collier  Cases  ",  18^9-1853  (1  vol.). 

Correspondence  with  Surveyor  of  Customs  Collier,  for  California, 
relating  to  the  cases  of  the  ships  "  Arbeille ",  "  Edouard ",  and 
"  Java  ". 

9.  Custom-House  Nominations,  184-1-1865  (^9  vols.). 

These  letters  contain  recommendations,  memorials,  nominations,  no- 
tifications of  deaths,  etc.,  and  possess  some  personal  interest. 

10.  Lists  of  Custom-House  Officers,  18^0-1859  (8  vols.). 


UNIVERSITY  ) 

DIVISION   OP  MAIL   AND   FILES.  39 

11.  Incidental  Expenses  of  Customs  Officers,  1875—1878  (11  vols.). 

12.  Reduction  of  Custom-House  Expenses,  1858-1861   (1   vol.). 

13.  Customs;   Miscellaneous    Estimates    for   Expenses    of    Collecting 

Revenue,  1870-1878  (8  vols.). 

IJ/..  Revenue  Marine  Letters  to  Officers  in  Charge  of  Revenue-cutters 
and  Supply  Stations,  1837-1878  (about  110  vols.). 

15.  Custom-House  Building,  New  York,  1832-181^6  (1  vol.). 

16.  Furnishing  Custom-House  Buildings,  1833-1849  (1   vol.). 

17.  Bonded  Warehouses,  1867-1870  (3  vols.). 

VIII.  Special  Agents. 
1.  Reports  of  Special  Agents:  1831^-1878,  16  vols.;  1878  to  date, 
several  hundred  file-boxes. 
These  reports  may  be  divided  into  two  groups:  (1)  Those  from 
1834  to  1878,  and  (2)  those  since  1878.  The  material  in  the  first 
group  relates  to  instructions  given  to  agents  for  the  examination  of 
books  and  records  in  custom-houses,  mints,  offices  of  various  depart- 
ments, etc.  In  the  war  periods  it  is  interesting  if  not  valuable.  The 
material  since  1878  is  regarded  by  the  department  as  confidential.  It 
relates  largely  to  the  investigations  of  frauds  of  various  kinds  but  is 
also  of  great  value  to  the  student  of  tariff  questions,  the  reports  fre- 
quently being  monographs  on  the  special  phases  of  the  tariff  and  allied 
subjects.  The  reports  in  the  first  group  are  arranged  chronologically; 
those  of  the  second  group  are  arranged  by  names  of  agents. 

IX.    Circulars  akd  Decisions. 

1.  Circulars,  1789-1878. 

a.  1789-1878   (7  vols,  fair  copies). 

b.  1851-1878  (4  vols,  press  copies). 

These  circulars  contain  instructions,  interpretations,  etc.,  and  have 
considerable  historical  value.  Copies  of  each  circular  are  printed  for 
the  use  of  the  Treasury  Department,  and  bound  at  the  end  of  each 
year. 

2.  Awards  and  Decisions,  1853-1875  (3  vols.). 

Awards  and  decisions  in  regard  to  penalties,  moities  for  informers, 
forfeitures,  etc.     They  show  the  Secretary's  interpretation  of  the  law. 

3.  Secretary's  Decisions,  1868-1870  (1  vol.). 

Decisions  of  the  Secretary  on  all  questions  arising  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  department.     They  are  important  for  the  practical  side. 


40  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Secretary's  decisions  are  printed  in  part:  "  Synopsis  of  Decisions 
of  Treasury  Department  "  (38  vols.,  Washington,  1868-1901). 

X.    Appointments  and  Removals. 

There  is  a  very  large  amount  of  wholly  unimportant  correspondence 
relating  to  appointments  and  removals.  These  letters  are  variously 
classified  as  follows: 

a.  Appointments  and  removals  from  ofRce;  relating  chiefly  to  the 
department  proper,  1849-1878  (68  vols.);  1878  to  date  (50  vols.). 

b.  Same,  relating  to  customs,  mints,  and  subtreasuries,  1864—1878 
(50  vols.). 

c.  Same,  relating  to  internal  revenue,  1869-1878   (6  vols.). 

d.  Letters  to  heads  of  bureaus,  relating  to  removals,  promotions,  dis- 
cipline, etc.,  1866-1877  (3  vols.). 

e.  Leaves  of  absence,  1861-1878  (40  vols.). 

f.  Miscellaneous  appointments,  1866-1877   (1   vol.). 

g.  Absences,  reductions,  and  remittances,  1869-1877   (1  vol.). 

h.  Correspondence  relating  to  marine  appointments,  1870—1877  (2 
vols.). 

i.  Leaves  of  absence  in  revenue  marine  service,  1871  (1  vol.). 

j.  Appointments  in  life-saving  stations,   1870—1878    (1   vol.). 

k.  Appointments  in  marine  hospitals,  1868—1878   (1  vol.). 

I.  Janitors'  appointments  and  correspondence,  1871-1878   (1  vol.). 

XI.    Miscellaneous. 

1.  Letters  to  Foreign  Bankers. 

a.  1803-1843  (2  vols,  fair  copies). 

b.  1856-1878  (12  vols,  press  copies). 

2.  Insolvent  Debtors,  1831-1859  (5  vols.). 

Letters  from  commissioners  of  insolvency  reporting  on  cases. 

S.  To  Governors,  State  Officers,  etc.,  1865-1878  (40  vols.). 

A  great  and  indefinite  range  of  subjects  is  treated,  but  few  of  the 
letters  seem  to  be  of  interest;  many  are  to  bank  cashiers. 

4..  Letters  from   Territories,  1839-1857  (1   vol.). 

These  relate  to  the  fiscal  relations  between  the  United  States  and  the 
territories  and  appear  to  be  of  slight  value. 

5.  Chickasaw  Correspondence. 

a.  1834-1872  (2  vols,  fair  copies). 

b.  1836-1872  (11  vols,  press  copies). 


DIVISION   OF   BOOK-KEEPING   AND    WARRANTS.  41 

This  consists  largely  of  receiver's  returns  and  correspondence  relat- 
ing to  the  treaty  with  the  Chickasaws  under  the  act  of  1836,  showing 
the  investments  of  money,  etc.  It  is  of  some  value  in  making  clear 
the  disposition  of  the  money  provided  for  in  the  treaty. 

6.  Texas  Debt. 

a.   1837-1840  (8  large  note-books). 

A  list  of  holders  of  the  Texas  debt,  both  the  consolidated  fund  of 
1837  and  the  loan  of  1840,  with  copies  of  Texas  bonds. 

h.  1856  (1  vol.). 

Correspondence  with  persons  to  whom  the  Republic  of  Texas  was 
indebted,  containing  information  as  to  the  character  of  the  debt. 

7.  Neapolitan  Indemnity,  18S6-1837  (2  vols.). 
Letters  of  claimants. 

8.  Telegrams,  1836-1874  (^9  vols.). 

These  relate  to  a  wide  range  of  subjects — appointments,  requisitions, 
trials  of  offenders,  etc.,  but  are  merely  suggestive  rather  than  sources  of 
definite  information.  In  the  war  periods  they  arouse  interest  by  their 
nature,  but  are  not  in  themselves  sufficient  to  be  of  great  value. 

9.  Letters   to  Suhtreasury   and  Assistant   Treasurer,  18^0-1878    {27 

vols.). 

10.  Correspondence    relating    to    Custom-houses,    Coast    Survey,    and 

Marine  Hospitals,  1833-1878  (69  vols.). 

11.  Transfer  Drafts,  1851-1862  (8  vols.). 

12.  Correspondence  rvith  Depositories,  1863-1864-  (1  vol.). 

13.  Printing  Orders,  Light-House  Record,  1863-1878  (U  vols.). 

14'  Miscellaneous  Internal  Revenue  Correspondence,  1866-1871    (38 
vols.). 

15.  Mint  Correspondence,  1872,  1875-1878  (1  vol.). 

16.  Life-Saving   Service   and   Steamboat   Inspection    Correspondence, 

1873-1878  (39  vols.) 

17.  Custodians*  and  Disbursing  Agents*  Correspondence,  relating  to 

paying  out  of  moneys  by  U.  S.  officials,  1877-1878  (6  vols.). 

DIVISION  OF  BOOK-KEEPING  AND  WARRANTS,  OFFICE  OF  THE 

SECRETARY. 

By  the  act  of  July  31,  1894  (28  Stat.  L.  208)  the  Division  of 
Book-keeping  and  Warrants  of  the  Secretary's  Office  was  made  the 
custodian  of  all  the  accounts  of  receipts  and  expenditures  of  public 


42  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, 

money,  except  those  of  postal  revenues.  The  books  in  which  these 
accounts  had  been  kept  were  transferred  from  the  offices  of  the  register 
and  the  various  auditors  so  that  at  the  present  time  this  division  con- 
tains all  the  original  records  of  the  receipts  and  expenditures  of  the 
government  since  1789,  except  such  as  have  been  destroyed  by  fire 
(see  below  under  Office  of  Register).  In  accordance  with  a  standing 
order  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  December  30,  1791,  the 
annual  statements  of  the  receipts  and  expenditures  were  printed  from 
1789  to  1891  under  the  title  "Account  of  the  Receipts  and  Expendi- 
tures of  the  United  States  ". 

MISCELLANEOUS  DIVISION,  OFFICE  OF  SECRETARY. 

The  duties  of  the  Miscellaneous  Division  of  the  Secretary's  Office 
are  mainly  of  two  kinds:  (1)  relating  to  certain  matters  under  the 
Commissioner  of  Internal  Revenue  which  require  the  approval  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  such  as  compromises  for  violations  of 
internal-revenue  laws,  abatement  of  taxes,  refunding  claims,  and  the 
issuing  of  permits  for  the  use  of  alcohol  free  of  tax;  (2)  relating  to 
cases  pending  in  the  Court  of  Claims,  where  the  Attorney-General 
calls  for  information  in  the  possession  of  the  division.  It  is  in  con- 
nection with  the  second  set  of  duties  that  the  division  possesses  papers 
having  historical  value.  These  files  relate  to  two  classes  of  claims, 
(1)  French  spoliation  claims;  (2)  Southern  claims.  Two  periods, 
1789-1808,  and  1861-1878,  are  thus  covered.  The  extent  of  the 
papers  is  not  very  great,  one  small  room  being  sufficient  to  contain 
them  all.  They  are  accessible  mainly  through  their  arrangement, 
although  many  of  the  papers  of  the  Confederate  government  are  listed. 
The  records  are  in  constant  use  by  the  division  in  response  to  calls 
from  the  Department  of  Justice. 

I.    Marine  Papers  Relating  to  the  French  Spoliation  Claims,  1789-1808. 

These  papers  consist  of  registers  and  manifests  of  vessels  clearing 
at  the  ports  listed  below,  including  bills  of  sale,  sea  letters,  letters  of 
marque  (New  York,  1798-1801),  proofs  of  ownership  (especially  full 
for  New  York).  They  cover  about  200  linear  feet  of  shelving  and  are 
in  file-boxes,  bundles,  and  bound  volumes  arranged  by  ports  and  dates. 
They  are  not  indexed,  but  there  are  papers  from  the  following  ports : 

Portsmouth,  N.  H.  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Gloucester,  Mass.  Middletown,  Conn. 

New  Bedford,  Mass.  Bridgeport,  Conn. 


MISCELLANEOUS  DIVISION.  43 

Plymouth^  Mass.  New  London,  Conn. 

Fall  River  (Dighton),  Mass.  Providence,  R.  I. 

Marblehead,  Mass.  Newport,  R.  I. 

Salem,  Mass.  New  York,  N.  Y. 

Newburyport,  Mass.  Sag  Harbor,  N.  Y. 

Boston,  Mass.  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J. 

York,  Me.  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Bath,  Me.  Baltimore,  Md. 

Kennebunk,  Me.  Petersburg,  Va. 

Wescasset,  Me.  Edenton,  N.  C. 

Castine,  Me.  Savannah,  Ga. 

II.    Papers  Relating  to  Southerst  Claims. 

These  papers  were  purchased  under  the  act  of  June  10,  1872   (17 
Stat.    L.    350),  which   authorized  the   Secretary  of  the   Treasury   to 
collect  all  evidence  relating  to  claims  for  captured  property. 
A.     Papers  of  the  Confederate  State  Department  ("Pickett  Papers"). 

For  a  history  of  this  collection  and  an  estimate  of  its  value  see  the 
article  on  "  The  Pickett  Papers  ",  by  J.  M.  Callahan,  in  the  "  South 
Atlantic  Quarterly"  for  January,  1903.  The  collection  consists  of 
archives  and  correspondence  of  the  Confederate  State  Department, 
and  the  inventory  given  below  is  made  from  the  original  inventory  of 
these  papers,  furnished  by  Mr.  Jordan,  the  chief  of  the  Miscellaneous 
Division.  The  original  numbering  and  arrangement  are  not  adhered 
to  below,  but  the  date  of  any  letter  is  a  sufficient  clue  to  its  location. 

I.    Diplomatic. 
Commission  to  Washington. 

1.  Instructions,  Department  of  State  to  Commissioners. 

2.  Despatches,  Nos.  1-4,  from  Secretary  of  State. 

3.  Commissioners  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos.  1-9, 
with  inclosures. 

4.  Secretary  of  Commission  to  Secretary  of  State,  April  11,  186G, 
with  inclosures. 

5.  Forsyth  to  President,  April  4,  1861,  confidential. 
G.  Pickett's  memorandum,  March  14-15,  1861. 

7.  Memoranda,  rough  drafts,  copies,  etc.,  in  a  package. 

8.  Telegraphic  despatches  in  3  packages. 
Great  Britain. 

1.  Yancey,  Rost,  and  Mann  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos. 
1-14  (except  No.  7,  which  was  never  received). 


44  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

2.  Mann  to  Secretary  of  State,  August  3,  1861,  December  2,  1861. 

3.  Mann  to  President,  August  24,  1861,  January  18,  1862,  Febru- 
ary 1,  1862  (with  confidential  memorandum,  January  31,  1862,  rela- 
tive to  blockade  and  the  "  Stone  Fleet  "). 

4.  Rost  to  Secretary  of  State,  June  10,  1861. 

5.  Rost  to  President,  December  24,  1861. 

6.  Yancey  to  Secretary  of  State,  November  8  and  30,  1861,  December 
31,  1861,  March  14  and  22,  1862. 

7.  Yancey  to  President,  January  27,  1862,  March  22,  1862. 

8.  Fearn  to  Secretary  of  State,  October  7,  1861. 

9.  Mason's,   Slidell's,  and  Trescot's  telegrams   from  Charleston. 

10.  Mason  to  Secretary  of  State,  October  5  and  9,  1861  (from 
Charleston),  October  18,  1861  (from  Cardenas),  January  30,  1862 
(from  London) ;  despatches,  Nos.  1-46  (except  Nos.  4-8,  which  were 
never  received);  despatches  (new  series),  Nos.  1-15;  unnumbered 
despatch,  June  6,  1863;  letters,  June  24,  1862,  November  8,  1862, 
January  16  and  17,  1863,  April  9  and  27,  1863,  October  2  and  19, 
1863,  February  18,  1864,  March  17,  1864,  July  14,  1864,  September 
18,  1864,  November  29,  1864. 

11.  Mason  and  Slidell  to  Secretary  of  State,  October  11,  1861 
(from  Charleston). 

12.  Major  General  Huger,  November  18,  1861  (inclosing  letter 
from  Major  General  Wool,  Fort  Monroe,  November  16,  1861). 

France. 

1.  SlideU  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos.  1-76  and  *'  50  bis  "; 
unnumbered  despatch,  February  1,  1862;  private  letters,  August  24, 
1862,  September  18,  1862,  January  26,  1863,  August  4,  1863. 

2.  Slidell  to  Hunter,  private,  February  19,  1862. 

Belgium. 

1.  Mann  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos.  1-119  (except  Nos. 
1-7,  105-108,  117,  which  were  never  received);  private  letter,  April 
10,  1863. 

2.  Mann  to  President,  May  9,  1864,  inclosing  letter  from  Pius  IX 
to  President. 


iin. 

1.  Rost  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatch.  No.  1,  March  21,  1862; 
letters.  May  28,  1862,  September  13  and  28,  1862,  January  23,  1863, 
Jime  16,  1863,  and  one  imdated. 

2.  Rost  to  President,  December  24,  1861. 


MISCELLANEOUS  DIVISION.  45 

States  of  the  Church. 

1.  Bishop  Lynch  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos.  1  and  2; 
letters,  March  3  and  28,  1864. 
Mexico. 

1.  Record-book  of  despatches  to  Department  of  State,  containing 
Nos.  1-27,  with  inclosures  (deposited  by  Pickett). 

2.  Miscellaneous  records  of  the  legation  (deposited  by  Pickett), 
and  a  bundle  of  newspapers. 

3.  Pickett  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos.  1,  2,  12-14. 

4.  Pickett  to  Secretary  of  Treasury,  September  27,  1861. 

5.  Pickett  to  Browne,  September  6,  1861,  November  29,  1861,  De- 
cember 31,  1861. 

6.  Preston  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos.  1—13,  with 
inclosures;  letters,  January  13  and  15,  1864,  January  14  and  31,  1865. 

7.  Preston  to  President,  private,  June  28,  1864. 

8.  Cripps  to  Secretary  of  State,  No.  1,  April  22,  1862. 

9.  Rieken  to  Secretary  of  State,  September  9,  1862,  to  July  16, 
1863. 

10.  Correspondence  with  Count  de  Saligny,  Baron  de  Wagner,  and 
others. 

Bussia. 

1.  Lamar  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos.  1  and  2;  un- 
official letter,  March  21,  1863. 

II.    CoxsuLAR,  Confidential,  and  Other  Foreign  Agents. 
London. 

1.  Hotze  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos.  1—49  (except 
No.  46);  private  letters,  Nos.  1-18,  and  July  24,  1863,  February  20, 
1864,  April  1  and  23,  1864,  May  28,  1864,  July  4,  1864,  October  28, 
1864. 

2.  Hotze  to  Hunter,  unofficial,  January  30,  1862. 

3.  Hotze  to  Brown,  March  18,  1862. 

London  and  Paris. 

1.  McRae,  financial  agent,  to  Secretary  of  State,  October  19,  1864, 
November  4,  1864  (with  inclosures),  November  18,  1864. 

Paris. 

1.  De  Leon  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos.  1-15   (except 
No.  10),  with  inclosures. 
Havana. 

1.  Helm  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos.  1-34  (except 
No.  11). 


46  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

Matamoras. 

1.  Avegno  to  Secretary  of  State,  letters,  December  30,  1862,  to 
April  2,  1864. 

2.  Fitzpatrick  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos.  1-9  (except 
No.  8). 

Vera  Cruz. 

1.  La  Sere  to  Secretary  of  State,  July  22,  1864. 

New  Leon  and  Coahuila. 

1.  Quintero  to  Secretary  of  State,  June  1,   1861,  to  December  7, 
1864,  with  inclosures. 
Nassau,  N.  P. 

1.  Heyliger  to   Secretary  of   State,   June   28,    1862,   to   December 
19,  1864. 
St.  George^s,  Bermuda. 

1.  Walker  to  Secretary  of  State    (see  files  of  Domestic   Letters). 
The  letters  of  Walker  were  taken  out  of  the  packages  of  Domestic 
Letters  and  placed  in  this  package. 
Cork. 

1.  Dowling  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  November  25,  1863, 
January  28,  1864. 

Ireland  generally. 

1.  Lieutenant  Capston  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  October  1, 
1863,  to  August  24,  1864. 

2.  Mr.  Bannon  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos.  1—8. 

3.  Mr.  Lalor  to  Secretary  of  State,  Dublin,  no  date. 
Canada. 

1.  Holcombe  to  Secretary  of  State,  despatches,  Nos.  3-7;  reports, 
April  1,  1864  (case  of  "Chesapeake"),  November  16,  1864;  letters, 
February  29,  1864,  March  12,  1864,  April  26,  1864  (private),  June 
18,  1864  (private),  undated  (relating  to  escaped  prisoners). 

2.  Almon  to  Holcombe. 

3.  Thompson  and  Clay  to  Secretary  of  State,  telegrams  from 
Wilmington. 

4.  Clay  to  Secretary  of  State,  June  17,  1864  (Montreal),  August 
11,  1864  (report  from  St.  Catherine's  relating  to  Peace  Conference), 
September  12,  1864  (relating  to  Peace  Conference  and  other  subjects). 

5.  Thompson  to  Secretary  of  State,  May  2,  1864  (Wilmington), 
May  10,  1864  (St.  George's). 

6.  General  E.  G.  Lee  to  Secretary  of  State,  December  15,  1864 
(Nassau). 

7.  Captain  Dawson  to  E.  G.  Lee,  despatches,  Nos.  1-5. 


MISCELLANEOUS  DIVISION,  47 

III.    Diplomatic  and  Consular. 
Records. 

1.  Record  of  instructions  and  despatches  to  consuls,  confidential 
and  other  foreign  agents. 

2.  Record  of  commissions  to  foreign  agents. 

Instructions  and  Despatches. 

1.  Great  Britain;  to  Mann,  Mason,  Rost,  Yancey. 

2.  France;  to  Slidell. 

3.  Spain;  to  Rost,  Slidell. 

4.  Belgium;  to  Mann. 

5.  Rome;  to  Lynch. 

6.  Russia;  to  Lamar. 

7.  Canada;  to  Holcombe. 

8.  Mexico;  to  Pickett,  Preston. 

9.  Havana;  to  Helm. 

10.  Monterey;  to  Quintero. 

IV.   Miscellaneous. 

1.  Book  of  reports.  President  to  Congress. 

2.  Proclamation-book,  and  also  manuscript  and  printed  proclama- 
tions. 

3.  Presidents'  messages   (pamphlets). 

4.  Pardon-book. 

5.  Domestic  letter-book,  and  domestic  letters,  1861—1865,  with  an 
index-book  of  letters  received. 

6.  Packages  of  papers  and  letters,  and  record-books  relating  to 
office-holding,  viz:  applications  for  office,  and  for  issue  of  commis- 
sions, acting  appointments,  records  of  commissions,  confirmations  and 
resolutions  of  Congress,  oaths  of  office,  letters  of  resignation,  etc. 

7.  Passports,  applications  for  foreign  passports,  congressional  mili- 
tary passports,  descriptive  lists,  etc. 

8.  Financial  papers  and  accounts,  viz.:  correspondence,  cash-book, 
ledger,  appropriation-book,  requisition-book,  foreign  service  account- 
book. 

9.  Destroyed  property;  index  to  property  destroyed  by  Confederate 
authorities,  and  an  index  to  that  destroyed  by  the  enemy. 

10.  Letters  of  marque,  register  of  letters  of  marque,  correspondence 
relating  to  letters  of  marque. 

11.  List  of  vessels  running  the  blockade. 

12.  Steamer  "  Sumter  ",  cruise  and  operations. 


48  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

13.  Fort  Sumter,  correspondence  relating  thereto,  with  notes  by 
Judge  Campbell. 

14.  Exchange  of  prisoners,  correspondence  of  Robert  Ould  relating 
thereto. 

15.  Ordinances  of  secession,  conventions  between  the  states,  and 
correspondence  relating  thereto. 

16.  Letters  to  Secretary  of  State  from  foreign  consuls  in  the  Con- 
federate States. 

17.  Cypher-tables  used  in  correspondence  with  Mason,  Slidell, 
Mann,  and  others. 

18.  Notes  of  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  and  of  chief  clerk,  relat- 
ing to  current  events. 

19.  Telegrams,  pension  papers,  commission  of  Albert  Pike,  Tres- 
cot's  correspondence,  miscellaneous  memoranda. 

20.  Copyright  records. 

21.  Exequaturs  to  consuls. 

22.  Various  blank  forms,  and  some  printed  material,  such  as  news- 
papers, acts,  etc. 

B.  Papers  of  the  Confederate  Treasury  Department. 

These  papers  consist  for  the  most  part  of  (1)  lists  of  subscribers 
to  Confederate  loans  and  of  parties  to  the  cotton  transactions  of  the 
government,  together  with  certificates,  vouchers,  records  of  payments 
of  interest,  etc.;  (2)  the  records  of  the  organization  and  transactions 
of  the  Texas  Cotton  Bureau;  (3)  Virginia  poll-lists,  showing  the  votes 
of  individuals  on  the  ordinance  of  secession;  (4)  "General  Books" 
containing  the  records  of  sales  of  bonds  and  of  payments  of  interest 
by  the  Confederate  Treasury;  (5)  records  of  Treasury  drafts  and  war 
warrants;  (6)  lists  of  the  assessors  of  the  war  tax;  (7)  lists  of  bonds- 
men and  sureties;  (8)  records  of  contracts,  correspondence  of  the 
Treasury,  etc.  These  papers  are  kept  in  boxes,  bound  volumes,  and 
bundles,  and  are  arranged  by  states  and  general  government,  with  a 
subarrangement  by  subjects. 

C.  Captured  and  Abandoned  Property  Claims  (1863-1878). 
Correspondence  relating  to  captured  and  abandoned  property;  the 

reports  of  special  agents;  records  of  leases  and  rents;  trade-store  ac- 
counts, etc.  See  act  of  March  12,  1863  (12  Stat.  L.  821).  These 
records  are  in  file-boxes,  bundles,  and  volumes;  the  correspondence  is 
arranged  chronologically,  the  reports,  by  districts  and  agents  (see 
also  seven  volumes  of  correspondence  in  Mail  and  Files  Division). 


REGISTER    OF    THE    TREASURY.  49 

D.     Southern  Claims  Commission  and  Cotton  Claims  Papers. 

Papers  relating  to  the  claims  submitted  under  section  3,  act  of 
March  12,  1863  (12  Stat.  L.  821),  and  section  5,  act  of  May  18,  1872 
(17  Stat.  L.  134). 

REGISTER    OF    THE    TREASURY. 

The  office  of  the  Register  of  the  Treasury  was  established  in  1789. 
Until  1894)  one  of  its  most  important  duties  was  the  recording  of  the 
receipts  and  expenditures  of  the  government,  and  the  office  was  organ- 
ized in  several  divisions;  but  in  that  year  the  number  of  divisions  was 
reduced  to  two,  the  Division  of  Loans  and  the  Division  of  Notes, 
Coupons,  and  Currency,  and  the  recording  of  the  receipts  and  expend- 
itures was  discontinued  (see  the  annual  reports  of  the  Register  for 
1894  and  1895),  the  books  relative  to  that  work  being  transferred  to 
the  Division  of  Book-keeping  and  Warrants.  At  present  the  office  is 
charged  with  the  issue,  exchange,  transfer,  and  redemption  of  bonds 
(Division  of  Loans),  and  the  receiving,  counting,  examining,  arrang- 
ing, and  registering  of  all  redeemed  notes,  certificates,  coupons,  inter- 
est checks,  etc.  (Division  of  Notes,  Coupons,  and  Currency).  The 
files  of  the  Division  of  Loans,  which  are  the  only  ones  in  the  Regis- 
ter's office  having  historical  value,  include  the  records  of  the  public 
debt  from  the  earliest  times.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  describe  in 
detail  the  current  administrative  records  of  this  division;  they  consist 
of  the  accounts  kept  with  all  holders  of  United  States  registered 
bonds,  of  interest  schedules,  of  correspondence  connected  with  the 
transfer  of  bonds,  coupons,  etc.  The  earlier  records,  which  are  of 
most  interest,  are  described  more  in  detail  below. 

The  first  important  loss  sustained  by  the  office  of  the  Register  was 
in  1814.  According  to  the  report  made  to  Congress  ("  American  State 
Papers,  Miscellaneous  ",  11,  249-250)  the  following  records  were  de- 
stroyed: (1)  Ledgers,  journals,  and  auxiliary  books  connected  with 
the  imports,  tonnage,  and  internal  revenue,  to  1810.  (2)  Export  books, 
to  1803.  (3)  Vouchers  and  documents  relating  to  the  settlement  of  the 
accounts  of  collectors  of  customs  and  supervisors  of  internal  revenue 
and  direct  taxes,  to  1811.  (4)  Records  of  receipts  and  expenditures, 
viz.,  (a)  ledgers  and  journals,  to  1798;  (b)  100  large  cases  of  vouch- 
ers and  reports  on  settled  accounts.  (5)  Records  of  the  public  debt, 
viz.,  (a)  several  old  journals  and  ledgers;  (b)  books  containing  re- 
ceipts for  certificates  of  funded  debt  delivered  to  the  Treasury  before 
1800;  (c)  canceled  certificates  of  the  Revolutionary  funded  debt,  viz., 
loan  office  certificates,  army  certificates,  and  final  settlement  certificates 
5 


50  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, 

issued  by  commissioners  of  the  staff  and  marine  departments  and  by 
commissioners  of  the  several  states;  (d)  receipts  for  the  dividends  on 
principal  and  interest  of  the  funded  debt  paid  at  the  several  loan 
offices,  to  December  31,  181 2,  and  receipts  for  dividends  declared  at 
the  Treasury,  to  December  31,  1810;  (e)  transfers  or  canceled  certifi- 
cates of  the  funded  debt,  to  1811. 

In  the  fire  of  March  31,  1833,  the  Register's  office  reported  the  fol- 
lowing losses:  (1)  Vouchers  to  the  internal  revenue  accounts  and  to 
the  accounts  settled  by  the  accountants  of  the  War  and  Navy  Depart- 
ments prior  to  1817.  (2)  Abstracts  connected  with  the  Post  Office 
accounts  prior  to  July  1,  1828.  In  the  same  report  the  following  rec- 
ords were  mentioned  as  preserved:  (1)  Records  of  the  receipts  and 
expenditures  of  the  government.  (2)  Revenue  accounts  settled  since 
1825.  (3)  Revolutionary  records.  (4)  Stock  records,  including  re- 
ceipts for  dividends  on  principal  and  interest  taken  at  the  Treasury 
and  loan  offices  since  1814,  with  the  exception  of  several  small  par- 
cels. (5)  Records  of  tonnage,  commerce,  and  navigation  since  1821 
(H.  Ex.  Doc.  22,  23  Cong.,  2  sess.).  For  lists  of  the  files  destroyed 
as  being  valueless  see  S.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.,  and  S.  Doc. 
97,  57  Cong.,  1  sess. 

The  extent  of  the  files  of  the  Register's  office  is  too  great  to  be 
readily  estimated.  The  earlier  records  are  arranged  approximately  by 
states,  and  are  filed  in  closets  where  they  are  not  easily  accessible. 
The  later  records,  in  fact  the  records  of  all  extant  loans,  are  so  ar- 
ranged and  filed  that  immediate  reference  can  be  made  to  any  part 
of  them.  The  card-system  is  being  brought  into  use  in  keeping  the 
accounts  of  the  office.  The  records  of  the  extant  loans  are  of  course 
in  constant  use  by  the  office,  but  the  early  records  are  seldom  if  ever 
used.  Their  use  by  investigators  would  probably  be  allowed  provided 
no  question  of  any  claim  was  involved. 

I.    Early  Records. 

1.  Journal  of  Cash  for  the  Commission  at  the  Court  of  France,  De- 

cember 7,  1776-April  19,  1779  (1  vol.). 
This  contains  the  accounts  of  Lee,  Adams,  and  Franklin.     The  ac- 
counts are  sufficiently  detailed  to  be  very  interesting  and  to  give  sug- 
gestions of  the  way  the  commissioners  lived. 

2.  First  Bond  Issued  by  the  United  States,  February  6,  1777. 

No.  133  issued  under  the  act  of  October  3,  1776.  Framed,  and 
kept  in  a  safe. 


TREASURER    OF   THE    UNITED   STATES.  51 

5.  Continental  Certificates  of  Indebtedness. 

A  list  of  all  the  men  to  whom  certificates  of  indebtedness  were  given 
under  the  act  of  July  4,  1783  ("Journals  of  Congress",  viii,  289), 
giving  names,  certificate  numbers,  dates,  and  amounts.  There  are  over 
90,000  entries. 

4.  Loan  Office  Records,  178Jf-1835  (over  500  vols.). 

Records  of  loan  offices  in  the  thirteen  states,  including  ledgers, 
receipts,  subscriptions  of  stock,  journals,  statements  of  stock  com- 
prising the  assumed  state  debts,  etc.      Arranged  by  states. 

6.  "  Register    of    the    Certificates    issued    hy    John    Pierce,    Esquire. 

Paymaster-General  and  Commissioner  of  the  Army  Accounts  for 
the  United  States.  New  York.  Printed  by  Francis  Childs  at 
the  New  Printing  Office,  opposite  the  Coffee  House  Bridge  ", 
1786   (4  vols.). 

6,  "  General  Government  Office  "  Records,  1790-1835  (18  vols.). 

These  records  of  the  general  government  are  in  large  ledger  vol- 
umes with  the  various  titles :  "  Resolutions  and  Inquiries  of  Congress  ", 
**  Foreign  Treasury  Dividends ",  "  Funded  Deferred  Six  Per  Cent. 
Stock  ",  "  Summary  of  Stock  Funded  at  Loan  Offices  and  Treasury, 
1790-1794",  "Revolutionary  Claims  Allowed,  1829-1831",  "Jour- 
nal of  State  Lottery,  first  class  ",  "  Estimates  and  Statements  ",  "  Ex- 
ecutive Orders  and  Decisions  ",  "  Schedule  of  Dividends  on  Assign- 
able Stock  ",  "  Letters  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  "  on  matters 
of  routine,  "  Domestic  Louisiana  Six  Per  Cent.  Stock  ",  "  Warrants 
Exchanged  ",  "  Regulations  in  regard  to  United  States  Bonds  ". 

TREASURER   OF    THE    UNITED    STATES. 

The  Treasurer  receives  and  disburses  all  public  moneys  deposited 
in  the  Treasury,  subtreasuries,  and  in  national  banks  that  are  United 
States  depositories;  is  trustee  for  the  bonds  that  secure  national-bank 
circulation  and  public  deposits;  has  the  custody  of  the  Indian  trust- 
fund  bonds  and  other  public  trusts;  is  fiscal  agent  for  paying  the  in- 
terest on  the  public  debt,  and  is  ex-officio  commissioner  of  the  sinking 
fimd  of  the  District  of  Columbia.  These  duties  are  distributed  among 
the  various  divisions  of  the  office  of  the  Treasurer,  but  all  the  records 
and  files  of  the  office  are  preserved  in  the  Division  of  the  Chief  Clerk. 
The  records,  which  are  wholly  administrative  in  character,  are  of  two 
kinds — correspondence  and  accounts;  and  while  they  would  probably 
be  of  considerable  value  for  an  exhaustive  study  of  finance,  the  daily 


52  TREASURY   DEPARTMENT. 

and  other  reports  of  the  Treasurer  contain  the  information  ordinarily 
desired. 

The  office  of  the  Treasurer  was  established  in  1789,  but  its  files 
are  not  complete.  There  were  no  losses  in  the  fire  of  1801  ("  Ameri- 
can State  Papers,  Miscellaneous  ",  i,  241-243),  nor  any  of  importance 
in  1814  (ibid.,  ii,  248-249),  but  in  the  fire  of  1833  all  the  records  and 
accounts  of  the  office  prior  to  June  1,  1829,  were  destroyed  except  (1) 
**  Records  of  Treasurer's  quarterly  payments  for  several  years  prior 
to  June  1,  1829  ",  and  (2)  '*  Records  of  payments  into  the  Treasury 
by  collectors  and  receivers  of  public  money  since  1816  "  (H.  Ex.  Doc. 
22,  23  Cong.,  2  sess.).  Before  1870  many  of  the  records  were  scat- 
tered through  other  bureaus  of  the  department,  but  in  that  year  Mr. 
Wallace,  the  clerk  in  charge  of  the  files,  was  able,  after  considerable 
search,  to  gather  together  much  of  the  material  which  belonged  in  the 
Treasurer's  files.  The  records  can  be  said  to  be  approximately  com- 
plete only  since  1868.  In  addition  to  the  losses  by  fire,  there  are 
official  destructions  of  papers  that  are  considered  valueless.  For  lists 
of  such  papers  see  S.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.;  S.  Rept.  1048, 

53  Cong.,  3  sess.;  S.  Doc.  246,  55  Cong.,  2  sess.;  and  S.  Docs.  97  and 
348,  57  Cong.,  1  sess. 

The  records  are  of  very  great  extent;  they  are  kept  in  the  sub- 
basement  of  the  Treasury  building  and  in  the  storage-building  on  E 
Street,  already  referred  to  (see  Mail  and  Files  Division).  The  earlier 
records,  which  are  stored  in  the  latter  place,  are  practically  inaccess- 
ible. The  method  of  filing  and  indexing  is  described  below  under  the 
different  classes  of  material. 

As  would  be  expected,  the  records  of  this  office  are  of  great  im- 
portance to  the  department,  and  while  there  are  comparatively  few 
calls  for  the  earlier  records,  those  since  1868  are  in  almost  constant 
use. 

I.     CoREESPONDESrCE. 

The  correspondence  of  the  office  consists  of  requests,  inquiries,  and 
other  communications  relative  to  the  coins  and  currency  of  the  United 
States,  the  receipts  and  disbursements  of  the  Treasury,  national  banks 
and  their  dealings  with  the  department — in  short  to  all  the  various 
items  of  business  of  the  office.  The  proportion  of  letters  of  historical 
value  is  probably  very  small. 

Letters  Sent. 

1.  Domestic  Letters,  181^.-1877  (Jf.2  vols.). 

2.  Letters  to  the  Assistant  Treasurer  of  the   United  States  at  New 

York,  186S-1874.  (7  vols.). 


TREASURER    OF    THE    UNITED   STATES.  53 

3.  Letters   to  Assistant    Treasurers   and   United  States   Depositories, 

1863-1876  (17  vols.). 

4.  Correspondence  with  National  Banks,  1863-1877  (17  vols.), 

5.  Letters  Sent,  1869-1903  (389  vols.). 

Press  copies  of  letters  sent  since  1869  are  arranged  in  chronological 
order  in  a  single  series. 

The  letters  sent  extend  no  farther  back  than  1814,  and  those  before 
1863  are  incomplete.  The  letters  prior  to  1869  were  preserved  in  fair 
copies  only,  but  after  1869  they  were  preserved  in  duplicate  until  the 
custom  of  making  fair  copies  was  abandoned.  The  single  series  of 
letters  sent  from  1869  to  date  is  composed  of  bound  volumes  of  press 
copies  arranged  in  strictly  chronological  order.  Before  1861  the  let- 
ters sent  were  indexed  under  the  names  of  the  persons  to  whom  the 
letters  were  addressed,  but  since  that  date  they  have  been  fully  indexed 
under  names  and  subjects,  with  cross  references.  In  each  volume  of 
the  press  copies  there  is  a  list  of  the  persons  addressed  in  the  letters 
bound  therein. 
Letters  Received. 

1.  Letters  Received,  1791-1868  (several  hundred  bundles). 

These  letters  are  arranged  in  an  approximately  chronological  order 
and  tied  in  bundles.  As  a  series  they  are  very  incomplete  and  are  not 
indexed. 

2.  Letters  Received,  1868  to  date  (about  800  vols.). 

These  later  letters  are  bound  in  volumes  by  years  with  an  alpha- 
betical subarrangement.  In  an  index  or  register  of  over  100  volumes 
are  recorded  the  name  and  address  of  sender,  the  date,  and  a  brief 
of  each  letter. 

II.    Accounts. 

The  accounts  preserved  in  the  Treasurer's  files  are  of  the  following 
kinds :  j  ournals,  ledgers,  check  stubs,  certificates  of  deposit,  transcripts 
from  assistant  treasurers  and  national  banks,  statements  of  liabilities 
and  assets,  reports  of  balances  due  disbursing  officers,  paid  transfer 
checks  and  disbursing  officers'  checks,  redemption  statements  of  called 
bonds,  semi-annual  returns  from  national  banks,  daily  reports  of  move- 
ments of  standard  silver  dollars,  lists  of  deposits  on  account  of  war- 
rants, receipts  for  minor  and  fractional  silver  coin  redeemed,  receipts 
for  United  States  and  national  bank-notes  for  redemption,  etc. 

There  appear  to  be  no  accounts  on  file  prior  to  1837,  and  those  be- 
fore 1860  are  very  incomplete.  This  class  of  records  is  very  great  in 
amount  and  fills  over  100  closets  in  the  subbasement  of  the  Treasury 


54  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, 

building  alone,  there  being  much  more  in  the  E  Street  building.  The 
accounts  are  arranged  by  the  divisions  of  the  Treasurer's  office,  and 
are  rendered  accessible  to  the  initiated  by  means  of  a  finding  index 
contained  in  a  single  volume. 

COMPTROLLER  OF  THE  TREASURY. 

The  office  of  the  Comptroller  of  the  Treasury  was  established  in 
1789  (1  Stat.  L.  65),  but  in  1817  the  designation  of  the  office  was 
changed  to  that  of  First  Comptroller  and  the  office  of  Second  Comp- 
troller was  created  (3  Stat.  L.  366).  These  two  officers  examined  and 
revised  the  accounts  passed  on  by  the  various  auditors,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  customs  accounts,  which  were  examined  by  the  Commis- 
sioner of  Customs,  and  the  post-office  accounts,  which  were  examined 
by  the  Comptrollers  only  in  case  of  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the 
sixth  auditor.  In  1894  (28  Stat.  L.  205)  the  entire  system  of  account- 
ing was  reorganized  and  the  office  of  the  Comptroller  of  the  Treasury 
took  the  place  of  the  offices  of  the  First  and  Second  Comptrollers  and 
of  the  Commissioner  of  Customs.  The  Comptroller  of  the  Treasury 
no  longer  examines  and  revises  accounts ;  his  principal  duties  are :  ( 1 ) 
rendering  decisions,  which  are  final  and  binding  upon  the  executive 
branch  of  the  government,  in  the  case  of  appeals  from  the  action  of 
the  auditors;  (2)  rendering  decisions  called  for  by  disbursing  officers 
or  heads  of  departments;  (3)  approving,  disapproving,  or  modifying 
all  auditors'  decisions  that  involve  an  original  or  modified  construction 
of  the  statutes;  (4)  prescribing  the  forms  of  keeping  and  rendering 
all  public  accounts  except  those  of  the  postal  service;  (5)  directing 
the  recovery  of  debts  certified  by  the  auditors  to  be  due  to  the  United 
States. 

It  is  evident  from  the  above  statement  of  the  duties  of  the  Comp- 
troller of  the  Treasury  that  the  most  valuable  records  of  his  office 
are  the  decisions.  There  are  of  course  great  masses  of  vouchers  and 
certificates  of  adjusted  accounts,  together  with  the  correspondence  re- 
lating to  them,  but  these  would  probably  be  of  slight  value  to  the 
student.  Few  of  the  decisions  prior  to  1894  are  printed.  The  im- 
portant ones  since  1894  are  printed  in  the  "Decisions  of  the  Comp- 
troller of  the  Treasury",  October,  1894-June,  1903  (9  vols.  Wash- 
ington, 1896—1903).  A  "Digest  of  the  Decisions  of  the  Comptroller 
of  the  Treasury",  by  N.  H.  Thompson  (Washington,  1902),  includes 
all  decisions,  both  published  and  unpublished,  between  October  1,  1894, 
and  June  30,  1902. 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSfTY 

OF 

AUDITOR    FOR    THE    TREASURY   DEPARTMENT.  55 

Certain  classes  of  papers  in  the  Comptroller's  office  are  considered 
valueless  and  are  destroyed  as  such  (see  Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51  Cong.,  1 
sess.;  Sen.  Doc.  246,  55  Cong.,  2  sess.;  Sen.  Doc.  97,  57  Cong.,  1  sess.). 

AUDITOR   FOR   THE    TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

In  the  reorganization  of  the  accounting  system,  mentioned  above  in 
describing  the  office  of  the  Comptroller  of  the  Treasury,  the  auditors* 
offices  were  also  reorganized.  From  1789  to  1817  there  was  one 
auditor;  in  1817,  four  auditors  were  added,  and  in  1836  one  more, 
making  six  in  all.  They  were  designated  as  First  Auditor,  Second 
Auditor,  etc.  The  duties  of  these  officers  and  their  legislative  history 
are  fully  and  clearly  set  forth  in  H.  Rept.  49,  5S  Cong.,  1  sess.  (pp. 
31—36),  and  a  detailed  statement  of  their  organization  and  methods 
of  work  may  be  found  in  the  "  Cockrell  Report  ",  Sen.  Rept.  507,  pt. 
2,  50  Cong.,  1  sess. 

In  1894,  by  the  provisions  of  the  Dockery  Act  (28  Stat.  L.  205), 
the  designations  of  the  officers  were  changed,  as  follows:  That  of  First 
Auditor  to  Auditor  for  the  Treasury  Department;  Second  Auditor,  to 
Auditor  for  the  War  Department;  Third  Auditor,  to  Auditor  for  the 
Interior  Department;  Fourth  Auditor,  to  Auditor  for  the  Navy  Depart- 
ment; Fifth  Auditor,  to  Auditor  for  the  State  and  other  Departments; 
Sixth  Auditor,  to  Auditor  for  the  Post-Office  Department.  By  the 
same  act  the  duties  of  the  various  auditors  were  redistributed  and 
enlarged,  so  that  whereas  prior  to  1894  an  account  had  merely  passed 
through  an  auditor's  office  on  its  way  to  a  final  examination  in  the 
office  of  one  of  the  comptrollers,  since  that  date  the  auditors'  examina- 
tions, revisions,  and  decisions  have  been  final  except  when  formally 
appealed  from,  and  the  accounts  have  remained  in  the  auditors'  offices 
— in  other  words,  single  auditing  has  replaced  the  previous  system  of 
double  auditing.  For  a  full  account  of  the  changes  made  by  the  act 
of  1894  see  H.  Rept.  637,  5S  Cong.,  2  sess.,  in  which  the  old  system  is 
described  at  length,  the  new  one  set  forth,  and  the  reasons  for  making 
the  proposed  changes  discussed.  F'or  a  resume  of  the  laws  relating 
to  the  auditors'  offices  see  Compiled  Statutes,  1901   (pp.  152-179). 

The  records  and  files  of  the  various  offices  were  redistributed  to 
correspond  with  the  duties.  In  the  following  descriptions  of  the 
respective  auditors'  offices  a  statement  of  the  duties  (taken  from  the 
annual  reports)  suggests  the  character  of  the  administrative  records. 
Records  of  especial  value,  so  far  as  they  were  revealed  in  the  investi- 
gation, are  described  apart  from  the  purely  administrative  records. 


56  TREASURY   DEPARTMENT. 

The  Office  of  the  Auditor  for  the  Treasury  Department  (formerly 
known  as  First  Auditor)  is  divided  into  four  divisions,  the  duties  of 
which  are  as  follows: 

(1)  The  Customs  Division  examines  the  collection  accounts  of  the 
collectors  of  customs ;  their  accounts  relative  to  the  expenses  of  collect- 
ing the  revenue  from  customs,  the  accounts  of  the  Revenue- Cutter  Ser- 
vice, accounts  of  official  emoluments,  debentures,  refunds  of  duties,  and 
miscellaneous  disbursements,  and  also  warehouse  and  bond  accounts. 

(2)  The  Public-Debt  Division  examines  and  settles  all  accounts  re- 
lating to  the  payment  of  interest  on  the  public  debt,  both  registered 
stock  and  coupon  bonds.  Pacific  Railroad  bonds,  payments  on  Spanish 
indemnity  certificates.  Navy  pension  fund,  redemption  of  United 
States  bonds,  redemption  of  coin  and  currency  certificates,  old  notes, 
and  bounty  scrip,  and  accounts  for  notes  and  fractional  currency  de- 
stroyed. 

(3)  The  Internal-Revenue  Division  has  jurisdiction  of  the  collec- 
tion and  disbursement  accounts  of  the  Internal-Revenue  Service.  The 
accounts  are  received  through  the  office  of  the  Commissioner  of  Inter- 
nal Revenue  after  they  have  been  given  a  proper  administrative  ex- 
amination. 

(4)  The  Miscellaneous  Division  is  charged  with  the  examination  and 
settlement  of  all  accounts  of  this  department  relating  to  salaries  and 
contingent  expenses,  Life-Saving  Service,  outstanding  liabilities, 
bonded  and  land-grant  railroads.  Coast  and  Geodetic  Stirvey,  mints 
and  assay  offices,  construction  and  care  of  public  buildings,  the  offices 
of  the  United  States  Treasurer  and  assistant  treasurers,  Light-House 
Establishment,  Bureau  of  Engraving  and  Printing,  Independent 
Treasury,  Marine-Hospital  Service,  Steamboat  Inspection  Service,  and 
sales  of  old  material. 

As  is  shown  above,  the  records  of  this  office  include  the  accounts  of 
all  persons  who  have  disbursed  or  received  money  under  the  Treasury 
Department.  For  a  detailed  classification  of  these  accounts  see  the 
annual  report  of  the  Auditor  for  the  Treasury  Department  for  1902 
(pp.  13-18),  where  are  found  such  items  as:  preventing  the  spread  of 
epidemic  diseases,  education  of  the  blind,  Hawaiian  debt.  South  Caro- 
lina free  schools  trust-fund,  Pan-American  and  other  expositions,  etc. 
The  mileage  accounts  of  members  of  Congress  prior  to  1894  are  on 
file  here,  as  are  also  the  warrants  for  the  payment  for  Alaska,  the 
Philippines,  etc.  The  individual  itemized  accounts  often  throw  much 
light  on  prices,  rents,  cost  of  construction,  etc.,  and,  especially  for 
earlier  periods,  should  have  some  interest  for  the  student  of  economic 
history. 


AUDITOR   FOR    THE    TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  57 

With  the  exception  of  the  Washington  papers,  described  below, 
there  are  said  to  be  no  files  prior  to  1791.  The  Auditor's  office  re- 
ported that  it  had  suffered  few  losses  of  importance  in  the  fire  of 
January  20,  1801.  At  that  time  there  was  but  one  auditor,  but  the 
losses  reported  would  apparently  be  divided  between  the  present  audit- 
ors for  the  War  and  Treasury  Departments  as  follows:  War  auditor, 
(1)  ledgers  and  journals  of  accounts  settled  by  the  late  commissioner 
with  the  officers  of  the  old  Quartermaster's  and  Commissary's  Depart- 
ments, (2)  individual  claims  for  services  during  the  Revolution.  Treas- 
ury auditor,  (1)  account  of  Thomas  Claxton,  agent  for  furnishing  the 
Capitol,  (2)  accounts  of  the  agents  of  the  commissioners  of  the  direct 
tax  in  Delaware,  New  Hampshire,  Tennessee,  New  York,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  Massachusetts  ("  American  State  Papers,  Miscellaneous  ", 
I,  241-243).  Although  there  is  no  documentary  evidence  to  that  ef- 
fect, there  are  said  to  have  been  losses  in  1814  and  1833.  Thus  the 
files,  though  continuous  from  1791,  are  complete  only  from  1833. 

In  addition  to  these  accidental  losses,  much  material  considered 
valueless  is  destroyed  under  authority  of  Congress  (see  Sen.  Ex.  Doc. 
44,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.;  Sen.  Doc.  246,  55  Cong.,  2  sess.;  and  Sen.  Doc. 
97,  57  Cong.,  1  sess.). 

The  bulk  of  the  files  is  very  great.  In  the  annual  report  of  the 
auditor  for  1902  (pp.  19-20)  is  a  comparative  statement  of  the  trans- 
actions of  »the  office  since  1861.  From  this  it  is  shown  that  between 
the  reorganization  of  the  office  in  1894,  and  the  present  time,  about 
300,000  accounts  have  been  audited,  over  150,000  certificates  have  been 
recorded,  and  about  250,000  letters  written.  The  files  of  the  entire 
office  are  kept  together  in  bundles  and  boxes,  and  at  present  are  located 
in  the  attic  and  basements  of  the  Treasury  building,  and  in  a  Thir- 
teenth Street  building.  They  are  arranged  by  various  classes  and 
chronologically  under  each  class,  and  are  rendered  accessible  by  means 
of  a  finding  index.  The  files,  even  of  the  earliest  dates,  are  in  con- 
stant use  by  the  department.      The  only  early  records  are: 

1.   Washington's  Accounts,  1775-1784.. 

These  expense  accoimts  and  vouchers  show  Washington's  table,  trav- 
eling, and  other  expenses  between  1775  and  1784.  Here  may  be 
found,  for  example,  the  accounts  of  his  table  expenses  during  the 
winter  at  Valley  Forge  and  of  his  traveling  expenses  from  Mt.  Vernon 
to  Philadelphia  and  return  in  1784. 


68  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

AUDITOR  FOR  THE  WAR  DEPARTMENT. 

In  the  Office  of  the  Auditor  for  the  War  Department  the  following 
classes  of  accounts  are  audited:  (1)  salaries  and  incidental  expenses 
of  the  Office  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  all  bureaus  under  his  direc- 
tion; (2)  military  establishment;  (3)  armories  and  arsenals;  (4)  na- 
tional cemeteries;  (5)  fortifications;  (6)  public  buildings  and  grounds 
under  the  Chief  of  Engineers;  (7)  rivers  and  harbors;  (8)  soldiers' 
homes;  (9)  Military  Academy;  (10)  all  other  business  within  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  War  Department.  The  office  is  divided  into  six 
divisions:  (1)  Civil  Claims;  (2)  Military  Claims;  (3)  Paymaster's; 
(4)  Quartermaster's;  (5)  Law  Board;  and  (6)  Records,  in  which  last 
are  brought  together  the  permanent  files  of  the  entire  office. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  records  of  the  office  are  for  the  most  part 
of  two  classes:  (1)  accounts  of  disbursements  under  the  War  Depart- 
ment; (2)  accounts,  papers,  etc.,  relating  to  claims.  As  illustrative 
of  the  former  class  may  be  mentioned  the  paymasters',  quartermasters', 
and  commissary  accounts,  1817  to  date,  together  with  pay  and  muster- 
rolls  (of  some  personal  interest  are  the  accounts  rendered  by  such 
officers  as  Grant,  Sheridan,  McKinley,  R.  E.  Lee,  Jefferson  Davis,  and 
others)  ;  accounts  and  rolls  of  the  Western  Gunboat  Flotilla  and  the 
Mississippi  Marine  Brigade ;  registers  of  payments  to  volunteer  organi- 
zations during  the  Mexican  War  (1  vol.)  and  the  Civil  War  (14  vols.), 
etc.  As  illustrative  of  the  latter  class  may  be  mentioned  the  papers 
and  books  of  the  R.  B.  Lee  Claims  Commission  for  the  settlement  of 
claims  arising  from  losses  of  property  during  the  War  of  1812;  the 
books  of  the  United  States  commission  for  settling  claims  against  the 
United  States  arising  from  the  mismanagement  and  frauds  in  the  De- 
partment of  the  West  in  1861  and  1862  (the  evidence  and  depositions 
should  have  considerable  interest)  ;  claims  under  the  act  of  March  3, 
1849  (9  Stat.  L.  393);  Pittsburg  defence  claims;  claims  for  the  cap- 
ture of  Jefferson  Davis  (among  these  papers  are  many  interesting  and 
spirited  narratives),  etc.  There  are  also  files  not  properly  included 
in  either  of  the  above  classes,  such  as:  correspondence,  of  which  the 
bulk  is  very  great;  letter-books  of  the  Accountant's  office,  1797;  rolls 
of  friendly  Indians,  1818-1849,  etc. 

It  is  impossible  to  say  how  complete  are  the  records  of  this  office. 
In  the  case  of  the  quartermasters'  and  commissary  accounts  there  are 
no  records  prior  to  1817,  when  the  auditing  of  such  accounts  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  office  of  the  third  auditor.  * 


AUDITOR   FOR    THE   INTERIOR   DEPARTMENT.  59 

There  is  no  record  of  any  loss  by  fire  save  as  mentioned  above  under 
Auditor  for  the  Treasury  Department.  Many  papers  considered 
valueless  have  been  destroyed  (Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.). 

The  bulk  of  the  files  is  estimated  at  about  620  tons,  covering  over 
ten  miles  of  shelving.  The  files  are  at  present  located  in  the  Cox, 
Winder,  E  Street,  and  Corcoran  buildings;  they  are  being  arranged 
as  rapidly  as  possible  and,  for  the  most  part,  have  already  been  so 
indexed  as  to  render  the  office  able  to  find  any  papers  called  for. 

Certain  classes  of  this  material,  especially  such  as  relate  to  claims, 
or  to  the  loyalty  of  individuals,  are  regarded  as  confidential. 

Eaely  Records. 
It  is  the  policy  of  the  Records  Division  to  segregate  such  of  the 
records  as  are  of  especial  historical  value. 

1.  Revolutionary  Accounts,  1775  (8  vols.). 

Ledger  of  accounts  of  all  officers  who  had  charge  of  money,  and 
part  of  the  journals.  These  should  have  considerable  interest;  there 
are  five  volumes  of  the  ledger  and  three  of  the  journal,  and  there  is 
an  index  to  names. 

2.  Bonds,  1790-. 

A  large  number  of  Loan  Office  bonds  and  some  correspondence  re- 
lating thereto,  with  certificates.  In  process  of  being  arranged  in 
envelopes,  by  names  of  holders. 

3.  Rolls  of  the  Wayne  and  St.  Clair  Wars,  1791-1797  (4.  vols.). 
Muster  and  pay-rolls  of  the  Wayne  and  St.  Clair  wars,  with  an  index 

to  names. 

AUDITOR   FOR   THE    INTERIOR   DEPARTMENT. 

The  Office  of  the  Auditor  for  the  Interior  Department  is  divided 
into  four  divisions,  the  duties  of  which  are  as  follows: 

(1)  In  the  Pensions  Division  are  examined  the  accounts  of  the 
United  States  pension  agents  on  account  of  disbursements  made  under 
appropriations  for  army  and  navy  pensions,  salaries  of  pension  agents, 
and  all  expenses  of  pension  agencies,  and  accounts  under  the  several 
pension  appropriations. 

(2)  In  the  Law  and  Claims  Division  are  examined  claims  for  reim- 
bursement from  accrued  pensions,  of  expenses  of  last  sickness  and 
burial  of  pensioners  under  act  of  March  2,  1895;  pension  checks  in 
cases  where  the  payees  have  died  without  indorsing  them,  on  which 


60  TREASURY   DEPARTMENT, 

recommendation  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  regarding  their  pay- 
ment is  made.  Also  all  questions  of  law  affecting  claims  and  accounts 
examined  and  settled  in  the  office  are  here  considered. 

(3)  In  the  Indian  Division  are  examined  the  accounts  of  United 
States  Indian  agents,  special  agents,  inspectors,  general  superintendent 
of  schools,  superintendents  of  schools,  supervisors  of  Indian  schools, 
allotting  agents,  disbursing  officers  of  special  commissions,  examiners 
of  surveys,  secretary  of  board  of  Indian  commissioners,  superintend- 
ents of  Indian  warehouses,  receiving  and  shipping  clerks,  and  other 
accounts  of  a  miscellaneous  nature  relating  to  the  Indian  service,  in- 
cluding the  cost  and  transportation  of  goods  and  supplies. 

(4)  In  the  Land,  Files,  and  Miscellaneous  Division  are  examined 
accounts  of  receivers  of  public  moneys,  of  surveyors-general,  and  all 
other  accounts  for  receipts  and  expenditures  in  the  public-lands  ser- 
vice; the  accounts  of  the  disbursing  clerk  of  the  Interior  Department, 
and  of  the  disbursing  officers  of  the  offices  of  the  Superintendent  of 
the  Capitol  Building  and  Grounds,  the  Census  Office,  Geological  Sur- 
vey, Government  Hospital  for  the  Insane,  Columbia  Institution  for 
the  Deaf  and  Dumb,  Howard  University,  the  Hot  Springs  Reserva- 
tion, Arkansas,  and  accounts  of  the  Commissioner  of  Patents  for 
receipts  of  Patent  Office  fees.  Claims  for  transportation  and  tele- 
graphic services  rendered  the  above-named  offices,  and  claims  arising 
under  the  appropriations  for  the  endowment  of  agricultural  colleges 
in  the  several  states  and  territories;  for  the  liquidation  of  deposits  in 
the  Hawaiian  Postal  Savings  Bank;  for  refunding  moneys  for  lands 
erroneously  sold;  for  surveying  the  public  lands;  for  the  payment  to 
certain  states  of  their  per  centum  of  the  proceeds  of  the  sales  of 
public  lands;  for  indemnity  for  swamp  lands  erroneously  sold  by  the 
United  States;  and  for  the  education  of  indigent  blind  children  under 
section  4869  of  the  Revised  Statutes,  are  examined  and  adjusted  in 
this  division.  The  chief  of  this  division  has  the  immediate  supervision 
of  the  public  records  of  the  office,  which,  under  his  direction,  are  la- 
beled, boxed,  and  arranged  in  proper  order  for  convenient  reference 
and  permanent  preservation. 

The  files  of  the  office  appear  to  be  of  comparatively  little  value. 
They  are  not  complete,  and  while  there  is  no  documentary  evidence 
of  any  losses  by  fire,  both  the  extent  of  the  records  and  the  traditions 
of  the  office  indicate  some  losses  in  1814  and  1833.  The  pension 
accounts  date  from  1789,  but  are  very  incomplete  before  1833;  the 
land  accounts  date  from  1832,  with  a  very  few  of  as  early  date  as 
1817;  while  the  Indian  accounts  seem  to  be  fairly  complete  since  1819. 


AUDITOR   FOR    THE   NAVY   DEPARTMENT.  61 

For  the  papers  destroyed  as  valueless  see  Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51  Cong., 
1  sess.,  and  Sen.  Doc.  246,  55  Cong.,  2  sess. 

It  is  impossible  to  estimate  the  bulk  of  the  files;  they  appear  to 
extend  over  some  miles  of  shelving,  but  are  not  so  extensive  as  those 
of  the  Auditor  for  the  War  Department.  They  are  stored  on  the 
third  and  fourth  floors  of  the  Treasury  building  in  file-boxes,  bound 
volumes  and  bundles,  and  are  so  classified  and  arranged  that  no  diffi- 
culty is  experienced  in  finding  any  paper  called  for.  The  card-system 
has  been  introduced  for  recording  pension  payments.  The  pension 
records  are  the  ones  most  in  use  by  the  department,  but  the  files  of  all 
classes  are  frequently  called  for. 

AUDITOR   FOR   THE    NAVY   DEPARTMENT. 

The  office  of  the  Auditor  for  the  Navy  Department  is  divided  into 
three  divisions,  the  duties  of  which  are  as  follows: 

(1)  The  Paymasters'  Accounts  Division  adjusts  accounts  of  the  pay 
officers  of  the  Navy  at  navy-yards  and  stations  and  on  vessels,  ac- 
counts of  the  paymaster  and  quartermaster  of  the  Marine  Corps,  and 
claims  of  subsidized  railroads,  and  keeps  individual  accounts  of  sea- 
men's deposits  of  savings. 

(2)  The  Requisition  and  Prize  Money  Division  records  requisitions 
and  notes  them  for  approval,  keeps  ledger  accounts  of  navy  appro- 
priations, adjusts  the  account  of  general  account  of  advances,  exam- 
ines monthly  returns  of  all  pay  officers  of  the  Navy,  reports  delin- 
quent pay  ofl[icers,  settles  prize-money  claims,  furnishes  the  Pension 
Office  and  Navy  Department  with  service  records  of  officers,  seamen, 
and  marines,  and  has  charge  of  the  mail,  records,  and  files  of  the  office. 
The  Miscellaneous  Claims  Section  adjusts  claims  for  arrears  of  pay, 
bounty,  etc.,  arising  in  the  Navy  and  Marine  Corps. 

(3)  The  Navy  Pay  and  Allotment  Division  adjusts  accounts  of 
purchasing  pay  officers  of  the  Navy,  of  naval  attaches  at  United  States 
legations  in  Europe,  of  the  Navy  Department's  fiscal  agent  in  Lon- 
don, of  agents  at  coaling  stations,  and  of  the  disbursing  officer  of  the 
Navy  Department,  and  keeps  individual  accounts  of  allotment  of  of- 
ficers and  men  of  the  Navy. 

As  is  indicated  by  the  nature  of  the  duties,  the  records  consist  of 
the  regular  accounts  of  the  department,  the  accounts  and  correspond- 
ence relating  to  prize-claims,  and  the  pay  and  muster-rolls  of  the 
various  vessels.  It  is  diflicult  to  estimate  the  historical  value  of  these 
records:  the  pay  and  muster-rolls  and  certain  parts  of  the  correspond- 


62  TREASURY   DEPARTMENT. 

ence  would  appear  most  likely  to  have  some  value,  especially  in  the 
war  periods,  for  a  study  of  which  the  rolls  of  such  vessels  as  the  "  Con- 
stitution ",  *'  Alert  ",  "  Hornet  ",  "  Guerriere  ",  "  Frolic  ",  and  "  Mace- 
donian "  should  be  of  considerable  interest. 

The  records  date  from  1798,  but,  although  there  is  no  documentary 
evidence  of  losses,  there  are  many  gaps  in  the  files  due  to  fires  (tradi- 
tion as  usual  designates  the  fires  of  1814  and  1833)  and  to  losses  of 
vessels.  Some  papers  have  been  destroyed  as  having  no  value,  and 
lists  of  such  may  be  found  in  Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.,  and 
Sen.  Doc.  246,  55  Cong.,  2  sess. 

It  is  impossible  to  estimate  the  bulk  of  these  records,  but  it  may  be 
said  that  they  consist  of  thousands  of  volumes,  file-boxes,  etc.  There 
is  not  room  for  all  the  records  in  the  Treasury  building,  and  many  of 
them  are  stored  in  the  E  Street  building.  The  pay  and  muster-rolls 
are  arranged  alphabetically  by  the  names  of  the  vessels  and  chrono- 
logically for  each  vessel.  A  list  giving  dates  and  names  of  vessels, 
commanders,  and  paymasters  has  been  made  of  the  earlier  vessels 
whose  rolls  are  on  file,  and  may  be  consulted  in  the  office.  The  ac- 
count-books and  correspondence  are  filed  in  chronological  order,  and 
an  office-index  seems  to  make  the  material  satisfactorily  accessible  to 
the  officials  in  charge. 

AUDITOR   FOR   STATE    AND   OTHER    DEPARTMENTS. 

The  office  of  the  Auditor  for  the  State  and  Other  Departments  is 
organized  in  three  divisions,  the  duties  of  which  are  as  follows: 

(1)  To  the  Diplomatic  and  Consular  Division  are  assigned  for  ex- 
amination and  settlement  all  accounts  of  salaries  and  incidental  ex- 
penses of  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  and  of  all  bureaus  and 
offices  under  his  direction;  also  all  accounts  relating  to  the  diplomatic 
and  consular  service  and  all  commissions  and  conferences  formed  by 
international  law  or  agreement.  In  this  division  all  Treasury  fee  re- 
turns of  consular  officers  are  verified  by  the  monthly  abstracts  of  in- 
voices made  by  collectors  of  customs,  in  pursuance  of  section  2855  of 
the  Revised  Statutes.  There  are  also  examined  all  requisitions  in  pay- 
ment of  the  expenses  of  the  Department  of  State,  and  of  all  drafts 
drawn  on  the  Secretary  of  State  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  by 
ambassadors,  envoys  extraordinary  and  ministers  plenipotentiary,  min- 
isters resident,  commissioners,  charges  d'affaires,  agents,  secretaries  of 
legations,  consuls-general,  consuls,  and  commercial  agents. 

(2)  The  Division  of  Judicial  Accounts  settles  all  accounts  pertain- 


AUDITOR  FOB  STATE  AND  OTHER  DEPARTMENTS.  63 

ing  to  the  Department  of  Justice,  viz.:  salaries,  fees,  and  expenses  of 
marshals;  pay  of  bailiffs;  support  of  prisoners;  pay  of  jurors;  pay  of 
witnesses;  miscellaneous  expenses;  district  attorneys;  assistant  district 
attorneys;  clerks  of  all  United  States  courts;  United  States  commis- 
sioners, and  rent  of  court  rooms;  also  the  disbursing  clerk's  accounts 
for  salaries  of  Department  of  Justice;  furniture  and  repairs;  books 
for  department  library,  books  for  office  of  the  Solicitor;  stationery; 
transportation;  miscellaneous  items;  pay  of  regular  assistant  attorneys; 
prosecution  of  crimes;  defending  suits  in  claims  against  the  United 
States;  defense  in  Indian  depredation  claims;  punishing  violations  of 
intercourse  acts  and  frauds;  repairs  to  the  court-house,  Washington, 
D.  C. ;  miscellaneous  expenses  United  States  courts;  salaries  Court  of 
Private  Land  Claims;  salaries  and  expenses  Spanish  Claims  Commis- 
sion; defending  suits  before  Spanish  Claims  Commission;  insular  and 
territorial  affairs.  Department  of  Justice;  revising  criminal  and  penal 
laws  of  the  United  States;  salaries  of  district  judges;  salaries  and 
expenses  Court  of  Appeals;  salaries  of  retired  judges;  salaries  of  cir- 
cuit judges;  salaries  of  judges,  etc.,  of  the  Court  of  Claims;  salaries 
of  Justices,  etc.,  of  the  Supreme  Court;  salary  commissioner  of  Yel- 
lowstone National  Park;  salaries  of  circuit  court  of  appeals;  salaries  of 
governors  of  Territories  of  Arizona,  New  Mexico,  Oklahoma,  Alaska, 
and  Hawaii;  salaries  of  district  attorneys  and  their  assistants;  salaries 
of  marshals  and  their  office  deputies;  salary  and  expenses  of  the  re- 
porter of  the  Supreme  Court;  United  States  penitentiary,  Atlanta, 
Georgia;  and  United  States  penitentiary,  Leavenworth,  Kansas;  build- 
ing. Department  of  Justice;  salary  clerk  of  district  court,  northern 
district  of  Illinois;  care  of  rented  buildings;  and  all  judgments  of 
the  courts  against  the  United  States  are  settled  upon  certificates  pre- 
pared by  this  division,  including  claims  allowed  under  the  Bowman 
and  Tucker  acts  and  French  spoliation  claims. 

(3)  To  the  Miscellaneous  Division  are  assigned  for  settlement  all 
accounts  accruing  in  the  Department  of  Agriculture  and  its  bureaus, 
the  Executive  Office,  the  Senate,  the  House  of  Representatives,  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  Civil  Service  Commission,  Fish  Commission,  Inter- 
state Commerce  Commission,  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor, 
Government  Printing  Office  (including  the  construction  of  the  new 
building).  Library  of  Congress;  all  accounts  for  salaries,  contingent 
and  legislative  expenses  in  the  several  territories;  all  accounts  relating 
to  the  government  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  all  boards,  com- 
missions, and  establishments  of  the  government  not  within  the  juris- 
diction of  any  of  the  executive  departments. 


64  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  records  of  this  office,  as  is  indicated  by  the  nature  of  their 
duties,  have  historical  value  only  incidentally.  The  diplomatic  ac- 
counts when  itemized  are  of  some  interest  for  the  information  they 
contain  about  expenses,  prices,  etc.,  and  the  accounts  connected  with 
the  Cayuse  Wars,  which  are  on  file  here,  should  be  of  some  interest. 

The  files  are  said  not  to  antedate  1814;  some  are  thought,  though 
there  is  no  documentary  evidence  of  the  fact,  to  have  been  destroyed 
in  the  fire  of  that  year.  For  lists  of  papers  that  have  been  destroyed 
as  valueless  see  Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51   Cong.,  1  sess. 

The  records  are  kept  in  file-boxes,  bundles,  and  bound  volumes,  and 
cover,  at  approximate  estimate,  several  thousand  feet  of  shelving. 
Since  1894  all  papers  have  been  given  numbers  and  filed  in  numerical 
order,  but  before  that  date  they  were  variously  arranged.  By  means 
of  an  index  or  finding  list  the  accounts  of  any  particular  person  can 
be  readily  located.  The  papers  prior  to  1875  are  said  to  be  seldom 
used  by  the  department. 

AUDITOR   FOR   THE    POST-OFFICE    DEPARTMENT. 

The  position  of  the  Auditor  for  the  Post-Office  Department  differs 
somewhat  from  that  of  the  other  auditors.  He  is,  in  a  sense,  auditor, 
comptroller,  and  register  of  the  Post-Office  Department,  certifying  the 
balances  due  directly  to  the  Postmaster-General  instead  of  to  the 
Treasury  Department.  His  decisions  are  final  unless  an  appeal  to 
the  Comptroller  be  taken  within  one  year;  he  directs  suits  for  the 
collecting  of  money  due  the  United  States  for  the  service  of  the  Post- 
Office  Department,  in  this  way  having  direct  official  relations  with  the 
Department  of  Justice;  he  receives  and  accepts,  with  the  written  con- 
sent of  the  Postmaster-General,  offers  of  compromise,  and  is  the  legal 
custodian  of  all  contracts  of  the  Post-Office  Department. 

The  office  is  divided  into  seven  divisions,  the  duties  of  which  are  as 
follows : 

(1)  The  Bookkeeping  Division  keeps  the  general  ledger  accounts 
of  the  postal  service  and  an  individual  account  with  each  postmaster 
and  mail  contractor;  registers  Postmaster-General's  transfer  drafts 
and  all  warrants  drawn  for  transporting  the  mails,  expenses  of  rural 
free  delivery,  purchase  of  supplies,  and  miscellaneous  expenses  of  the 
postal  service;  prepares  the  quarterly  and  annual  reports  of  receipts 
and  expenditures;  receives  and  settles  postal  accounts  of  postmasters, 
postal  depositories,  and  the  disbursing  clerk  of  the  Post-Office  Depart- 
ment. 


AUDITOR   FOB    THE   POST-OFFICE   DEPARTMENT.  65 

(2)  The  Collecting  Division  reviews  the  postal  accounts  in  which 
differences  are  found  by  the  Bookkeeping  Division;  collects  balances 
due  from,  and  pays  balances  due  postmasters  on  postal  accounts ;  keeps 
a  record  of  all  changes  of  postmasters  and  the  establishment  and 
discontinuance  of  post-oflSces;  has  charge  of  postal  files  and  conducts 
correspondence  affecting  this  part  of  the  work. 

(3)  The  Pay  Division  adjusts  and  reports  for  payment  all  accounts 
for  transportation  of  mails;  audits  accounts  of  post-office  inspectors, 
superintendents  and  assistant  superintendents  of  the  Railway  Mail 
Service,  and  sundry  miscellaneous  accounts,  including  post-office 
supplies. 

(4)  The  Inspecting  Division  examines  postmasters'  statements  of 
money-order  business  with  accompanying  orders  as  vouchers,  com- 
paring every  money-order  with  the  credit  claimed  for  its  payment  by 
the  postmaster,  detecting  and  correcting  errors  and  verifying  fees 
charged  for  issuing  international  and  domestic  orders,  and  conducts 
correspondence  incident  thereto. 

(5)  The  Assorting  and  Checking  Division  assorts  by  states  and 
ofiices  of  issue,  and  arranges  numerically  by  quarters,  all  money-orders 
received  by  the  Inspecting  Division,  and  compares  all  money-orders 
issued  with  the  amounts  postmasters  debit  themselves  in  their  state- 
ments, detecting  and  correcting  errors  therein. 

(6)  The  Recording  Division  audits  and  adjusts  the  money-order 
accounts  of  postmasters,  and  conducts  correspondence  relating  thereto; 
adjusts  money-order  accounts  of  late  postmasters  by  payment,  transfer, 
or  collection,  as  indicated  by  the  balance;  prepares  quarterly  and 
annual  statements  of  money-order  transactions  of  the  United  States, 
both  domestic  and  international,  with  revenue  derived  therefrom,  for 
the  information  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  and  the  Postmaster- 
General. 

(7)  The  Foreign  Division  adjusts  and  settles  postal  and  money- 
order  accounts  with  foreign  countries;  settles  accounts  of  steamship 
companies  for  ocean  transportation  of  mails ;  verifies  all  lists  of  money- 
orders  certified  for  payment  in  foreign  countries  and  all  lists  received 
from  foreign  countries  of  orders  certified  for  payment  in  the  United 
States;  and  conducts  the  correspondence  arising  in  connection  with 
the  above  duties. 

The  general  character  of  the  records  of  this  office  can  be  determined 

by  the  detailed  lists  of  duties  given  above,  but  a  more  definite  idea  of 

it  can  be  gained  from  the  list  below,  furnished  for  this  report  by  the 

chief  clerk   of  the   Auditor's  Office,   which   gives   the   names   of  the 

6 


66  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

different  kinds  of  accounts  and  books.  It  is  difficult  to  form  an  esti- 
mate of  the  value  of  these  records^  but  probably  the  ledgers  of  the 
various  post-offices  would  have  the  greatest  value^  especially  for  local 
history. 

As  is  noted  below,  the  oldest  records  date  from  1776,  but  none  of 
the  classes  of  records  is  complete  until  after  1790,  while  the  files 
since  that  date  have  suffered  occasional  losses.  Some  of  the  older  files 
were  destroyed  in  the  fire  of  December  15,  1836  (H.  Rept.  134,  24 
Cong.,  2  sess.),  and  in  late  years  large  quantities  of  papers  considered 
valueless  have  been  disposed  of  (22  Stat.  L.  228;  28  Stat.  L.  107;  30 
Stat.  L.  317;  S.  Rept.  1048,  53  Cong.,  3  sess.;  and  S.  Doc.  246,  55 
Cong.,  2  sess.). 

The  bulk  of  the  files  is  very  great:  they  are  stored  in  the  Post-Office 
building  and  in  the  E  Street  building. 

I.  Regular  Accounts. 
(1)  Alphabetical  Register  of  Accounts;  (2)  Contracts;  (3)  Fines 
and  Deductions;  (4)  Foreign  Mail;  (5)  Index;  (6)  Journals;  (7) 
Ledgers,  1790  to  date,  complete  (the  ledger  kept  by  Benjamin  Frank- 
lin as  Postmaster-General  in  1776  is  the  oldest  of  the  records  of  this 
office;  it  is  kept  in  the  Post-Office  Museum);  (8)  Letter-Carriers  and 
Free  Delivery;  (9)  Letter-Carriers  and  Railway  Postal  Clerks;  (10) 
Postmaster-General's  Drafts — registers;  (11)  Postmaster-General's 
Orders — transportation;  (12)  Railway  Postal  Clerks;  (13)  Register 
of  Contractors'  Accounts;  (14)  Register  of  Quarterly  Returns — Post- 
masters; (15)  Register  of  Reports;  (16)  Star  and  Railroad  Transpor- 
tation (Pay  Books);  (17)  Transcripts  of  Deposits;  (18)  Warrants 
on  United  States  Treasurer;  (19)  Register  of  Disbursements;  (20) 
Miscellaneous. 

II.     Confederate  Post-Office  Records. 

1.  Register  of  reports  from  October  14,  1861,  to  April  1,  1865,  of 
amounts  paid  for  mail  transportation  and  miscellaneous  expenses  of 
the  Post-Office  Department.  This  volume  was  purchased  from  private 
persons  under  authority  of  Congress. 

2.  One  book  containing  reports  of  the  Postmaster-General  to  the 
President  of  the  Confederate  States  from  1861  to  1864;  also  adver- 
tisements inviting  proposals  for  carrying  the  mails  in  Virginia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Florida,  Alabama,  Mississippi,  and 
Tennessee;  received  from  the  War  Department. 


;vFRar 


COMMISSIONER    OF  INTERNAL  REVENUE.  67 

COMMISSIONER   OF    INTERNAL   REVENUE. 

The  office  of  the  Commissioner  of  Internal  Revenue  was  established 
in  1862;  its  duties  are  divided  among  eleven  divisions,  but  all  the 
records  and  files  are  kept  together  in  the  Appointments  Division.  The 
files  consist  principally  of  reports  made  on  prescribed  forms  by  the 
agents,  and  of  correspondence,  and  should  be  of  value  for  statistical 
purposes  and  for  illustrating  the  policy  of  the  administration  of  the 
internal-revenue  laws.  The  decisions  and  circulars  of  the  office  are 
published  in  part :  "  Decisions  Published  by  the  Office  of  Internal 
Revenue  to  January,  1871  "  (1  vol.,  Washington,  1871) ;  "  Compilation 
of  Decisions  rendered  by  the  Commissioner  of  Internal  Revenue,  June, 
1899-December,  1902"  (5  vols.,  Washington,  1899-1903);  "Collec- 
tion of  Circulars  and  Specials  issued  by  the  Office  of  Internal  Revenue 
to  February  18,  1874  "  (2  vols.,  Washington,  1871,  1874)  ;  "  Collection 
of  Circulars,  Specials,  Decisions,  and  Circular  Letters  issued  by  the 
Office  of  Internal  Revenue,  June  22,  1874-January  30,  1882  "  (1  vol., 
Washington,  1882). 

The  files  of  the  office  extend  from  1862,  with  the  addition  of  a  few 
early  records  of  the  years  1790-1808.  There  are  no  recorded  acci- 
dental losses,  but  there  have  been  quite  extensive  authorized  destruc- 
tions of  files  supposed  to  have  no  value  (S.  Doc.  44,  51  Cong.,  1  sess. ; 
S.  Rept.  1048,  53  Cong.,  3  sess.;  S.  Doc.  246,  55  Cong.,  2  sess.;  S. 
Doc.  97,  57  Cong.,  1  sess.). 

The  bulk  of  the  files  is  very  great:  in  1903  they  occupied  about 
20,000  cubic  feet  of  space  and  were  accumulating  at  the  rate  of  2,250 
cubic  feet  a  year.  They  are  stored  in  several  rooms  on  the  fourth  floor 
of  the  Treasury  building,  and  are  so  arranged  by  numerical  and  alpha- 
betical systems  in  bound  volumes,  file-boxes,  and  bundles  that  any 
paper  called  for  can  at  once  be  found.  The  correspondence  and 
reports  are  regarded  as  confidential  (13  Stat.  L.  238),  and  in  general 
it  may  be  said  that  the  files  of  this  office  since  1862  are  not  accessible 
for  purposes  of  investigation.  Permission  to  use  them  might,  how- 
ever, be  granted  by  the  Commissioner  in  certain  cases  where  the 
material  to  be  examined  has  only  historical  interest. 

I.     Early  Records. 
i.  Letters  from  the  Commissioner  of  the  Revenue,  1790-1808  (7  vols, 
fair  copies). 
The  letters  of  the  Commissioner  relate  largely  to  practical  questions 
concerning   the   administration   of  the   internal-revenue   laws.     There 


68  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

are  letters  bearing  on  the  Whiskey  Insurrection  of  1794^  but  they  are 
of  slight  importance,  discussing  such  questions  as  whether  lawfully 
distilled  spirits  can  be  obtained  for  the  army,  etc.  The  letters  are 
chronologically  arranged,  and  in  each  volume  is  an  index  to  the  names 
of  the  recipients. 

2.  List  of  Collectors  of  the  Revenue,  1803  (1  vol.). 

3.  Internal  Revenue  Bonds,  1813-1818  (1   vol.). 

North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Louisiana,  Indiana,  Illi- 
nois, Minnesota,  Missouri,  Michigan,  District  of  Columbia. 

Jf..  Boston  Tax  Lists,  1814-  (3  small  vols.). 

List  of  taxable  property  in  wards  three  and  eight  of  Boston 
(Eleventh  District  of  Massachusetts),  "  giving  houses,  size,  size  of 
lots,  material  of  which  constructed,  and  valuation  ". 

II.     Records  since  1862. 
Beports. 

The  reports  of  agents  are  made  on  prescribed  forms,  of  which  there 

are  about  a  thousand  different  kinds.     For  a  list  of  these  forms,  which 

would  also  show  the  exact  character  of  the  reports,  see  "  Catalogue  of 

Blanks  and  Books  and  Laws  and  Regulations,  prepared  for  the  use  of 

officers   of   Internal  Revenue,   No.    155.     Revised   1901.     U.    S.    Int. 

Rev." 

Correspondence. 

1.  Letters  Received,  1862  to  date  (several  thousand  file-boxes). 

a.  Collectors'  Letters. 

b.  Official  Letters. 

Correspondence  with  all  officers  of  the  Treasury  Department  except 
collectors. 

c.  Miscellaneous  Letters. 

Correspondence  with  all  persons  outside  the  Treasury  Department. 

2.  Letters  Sent,  1862  to  date  (about  2,000  vols.). 

These  letters  are  classified  in  the  same  way  as  Letters  Received. 

COMPTROLLER  OF  THE  CURRENCY. 

The  Comptroller  of  the  Currency  exercises  supervision  over  the 
national  banks,  their  organization,  and  the  issue  and  redemption  of 
their  notes,  and  examines  and  consolidates  their  reports.  The  records 
of  this  office  are  complete  since  its  establishment  in  1863  (12  Stat.  L. 
665),   but   are   not   accessible,   being   regarded   as   confidential.     The 


BUREAU   OF  ENGRAVING   AND   PRINTING.  69 

statistics  and  information  of  most  value,  however,  are  printed  in  the 
annual  reports  of  the  Comptroller  of  the  Currency.  For  the  destruc- 
tion of  papers  considered  of  no  value  see  S.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51  Cong., 
1  sess.;  S.  Rept.  1048,  53  Cong.,  3  sess. ;  and  S.  Doc.  97,  57  Cong., 
1  sess. 

BUREAU   OF    ENGRAVING   AND   PRINTING. 

The  Bureau  of  Engraving  and  Printing  designs  and  engraves  United 
States  notes,  bonds,  and  certificates;  postage,  customs,  and  internal- 
revenue  stamps;  Treasury  drafts  and  checks;  commissions,  national 
bank  notes,  licenses,  patent  and  pension  certificates,  etc.  For  infor- 
mation about  the  origin  of  the  bureau  see  "  Report  to  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury  from  the  First  Division,  National  Currency  Bureau  ",  by 
S.  M.  Clark,  November  26,  1864,  in  H.  Ex.  Doc.  50,  38  Cong.,  2 
sess.  Its  records  are  those  of  a  large  business  establishment  and  can 
hardly  be  said  to  have  any  historical  value.  They  consist  of  accounts 
and  statistics,  printed  summaries  of  which  are  to  be  found  in  the  annual 
reports  of  the  bureau,  and  of  correspondence,  and  they  are  complete 
since  1869,  with  the  exception  of  such  papers  as  have  been  officially 
destroyed  (S.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.;  S.  Rept.  1048,  53  Cong., 
3  sess.;  S.  Doc.  246,  55  Cong.,  2  sess.;  and  S.  Doc.  97,  57  Cong.,  1 
sess.).  The  set  of  "models"  (approved  designs  for  stamps,  notes, 
etc.),  though  not  complete,  is  of  interest.  The  correspondence  is 
classified  as  follows: 

1.  Letters  Sent. 

a.  Leaves  of  absence. 

b.  Purchases  of  supplies,  etc. 

c.  Business  of  the  office. 

2.  Letters  Received. 

a.  Official,  relating  to  the  business  of  the  office. 

b.  Miscellaneous,  relating  to  the  purchase  of  supplies,  etc. 
These  letters  are  arranged  alphabetically  under  each  year  and  are 

registered  in  an  index  which  gives  the  names  and  addresses  of  senders 
and  recipients  with  briefs  of  the  letters. 

DIRECTOR   OF    THE   MINT. 

The  records  and  correspondence  of  the  office  of  the  Director  of  the 
Mint  are  concerned  with  the  general  supervision  of  all  mints  and  assay 
offices,  the  examination  of  their  accounts  and  daily  reports,  special 
investigations  of  the  manner  in  which  they  are  conducted,  and  appoint- 


70  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

ments  and  removals  within  them.  The  records  from  1849  to  date  are 
on  file  in  this  office^  but  are  incomplete  prior  to  1873,  while  all  records 
prior  to  1849  are  in  Philadelphia.  For  lists  of  the  papers  destroyed 
as  valueless  see  S.  Doc.  246,  55  Cong.,  2  sess.,  and  S.  Doc.  27,  57 
Cong.,  1  sess. 

SECRET   SERVICE   DIVISION. 

The  work  of  the  Secret  Service  Division  is  chiefly  concerned  with 
the  detection  of  counterfeiting  and  of  other  frauds  and  crimes  against 
the  government.  In  time  of  war  the  work  is  somewhat  extended;  dur- 
ing the  war  with  Spain,  for  example,  the  Secret  Service  broke  up  the 
Spanish  system  of  espionage.  The  annual  reports  of  the  division 
contain  resumes  of  its  work  from  year  to  year.  The  Secret  Service 
Division  was  not  established  as  a  distinct  division  in  the  Treasury 
Department  until  1865.  There  had  been  a  secret  service  since  1861, 
however,  and  from  1862  to  1865  it  was  organized  under  the  State 
Department,  but  the  records  of  the  present  division  do  not  antedate 
1865.  The  records  consist  for  the  most  part  of  the  correspondence 
with  the  agents  and  their  daily  reports,  and  are  not  accessible  for 
purposes  of  investigation  except  in  certain  cases  where  the  necessity 
for  secrecy  no  longer  exists.  Certain  papers  have  been  destroyed  as 
valueless:  see  S.  Rept.  1048,  53  Cong.,  3  sess.,  and  S.  Doc.  246,  55 
Cong.,  2  sess. 

OFFICE    OF    THE    SUPERVISING   ARCHITECT. 

In  1853  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  organized  a  Division  of 
Construction,  and  an  officer  of  the  Engineer  Corps  of  the  Army  was 
detailed  as  its  head.  In  1864  (13  Stat.  L.  27)  the  office  of  Super- 
vising Architect  was  created  by  Congress.  The  duties  of  this  officer 
comprise  the  selection  and  purchase  of  sites  for  all  buildings  under 
the  Treasury  Department;  the  procuring  of  cessions  of  jurisdiction 
over  these  sites  from  the  various  states;  the  making  of  plans  and  esti- 
mates for  the  buildings  (custom-houses,  mints,  marine  hospitals,  court- 
houses, post-offices,  quarantine  stations,  etc.) ;  the  superintendence  of 
their  construction;  and  the  maintenance  of  buildings  outside  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia.  For  further  details  as  to  the  history  and  functions 
of  this  office  see  Lamphere's  "  United  States  Government "  (pp.  72- 
75),  or  "The  Government  Construction  Bureau",  by  the  present 
Supervising  Architect,  J.  K.  Taylor,  in  the  **  Philadelphia  Record  " 
(Saturday  morning,  July  12,  1902,  page  6).  "A  History  of  Public 
Buildings  under  the  Control  of  the  Treasury  Department   (exclusive 


PUBLIC  HEALTH  AND   MARINE-HOSPITAL   SERVICE.       71 

of  Marine  Hospitals  and  Quarantine  Stations)",  compiled  by  W.  H. 
Hills  and  J.  A.  Sutherland  (Washington,  1902),  contains  photographs 
and  histories  of  the  buildings  erected  by  the  Treasury  Department. 

The  records  of  most  interest  are  those  in  the  Law  and  Records 
Division,  where  the  contracts  are  drawn  up,  the  various  legal  questions, 
including  those  connected  with  the  state  cessions  of  jurisdiction,  are 
passed  upon,  and  the  record  of  all  mail  received  or  sent  is  kept.  The 
records  are  fairly  complete  from  1853,  but  only  those  since  1890  are 
so  arranged  and  cared  for  as  to  be  readily  accessible.  For  lists  of  the 
papers  which  have  been  destroyed  as  being  valueless  see  S.  Ex.  Doc. 
44,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.,  and  S.  Doc.  246,  55  Cong.,  2  sess. 

BUREAU   OF    PUBLIC    HEALTH    AND   MARINE-HOSPITAL 

SERVICE. 

The  Surgeon-General  of  the  Public  Health  and  Marine-Hospital 
Service  has  supervision  of  the  marine  hospitals;  of  the  care  of  sick 
seamen  taken  from  merchant  or  government  (except  naval)  vessels  of 
the  United  States;  of  the  physical  examination  of  pilots,  seamen,  and 
candidates  for  the  Revenue-Cutter  and  Life-Saving  Services;  of  the 
United  States  and  interstate  quarantine  service,  including  the  medical 
inspection  of  alien  immigrants;  of  the  hygienic  laboratory;  and  of  the 
publication  of  the  weekly  "  Public  Health  Reports  of  the  United 
States".  The  service  was  established  in  1798  (1  Stat.  L.  605)  but 
was  reorganized  and  the  office  of  Surgeon-General  created  in  1870 
(16  Stat.  L.  169).  For  a  history  of  the  service  prior  to  1871  see  the 
first  annual  report  of  the  Surgeon-General,  1872.  The  work  of  the 
service  from  year  to  year  is  set  forth  in  some  detail  in  the  annual 
reports,  which  probably  contain  all  the  material  that  is  of  historical 
interest.  A  list  of  the  papers  of  the  office  of  the  Surgeon-General 
destroyed  as  valueless  will  be  found  in  S.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51  Cong.,  1 
sess.;  S.  Doc.  246,  55  Cong.,  2  sess.;  and  S.  Doc.  97,  57  Cong.,  1  sess. 

LIFE-SAVING   SERVICE. 

'  The  Life-Saving  Service  in  its  present  organization  dates  from  1878 
(20  Stat.  L.  164),  but  it  has  distinct  and  separate  records  from  1873 
to  date.  Early  correspondence  and  papers  relating  to  the  service  may 
be  found  in  the  Mail  and  Files  Division,  particularly  among  the  files 
of  the  Revenue-Cutter  Service.  The  files  of  the  office  of  the  General 
Superintendent  of  the  Life-Saving  Service  comprise:  (1)  property- 
returns   and  other   accounts   connected  with  the  maintenance   of  the 


72  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

various  stations^  and  (2)  correspondence,  in  which  are  included  the 
reports  of  the  life-saving  stations.  The  files,  although  of  consider- 
able interest,  can  hardly  be  said  to  have  real  historical  value. 

The  work  of  the  service  from  year  to  year,  especially  in  its  more 
picturesque  aspects,  is  somewhat  fully  narrated  in  the  annual  reports 
of  the  General  Superintendent.  The  records  are  for  the  most  part 
classified  under  the  two  headings  of  Letters  Sent  and  Letters  Received 
and  are  complete  since  1873,  except  for  such  papers  as  have  been 
officially  destroyed  (S.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51  Cong.,  1  sess. ;  S.  Doc.  246, 
55  Cong.,  2  sess.).  The  letters  are  filed  according  to  a  numerical 
system  and  are  fully  indexed  and  briefed.  Portions  of  the  records 
are  inaccessible,  being  regarded  as  confidential. 


DEPARTMENT    OF   WAR. 

The  history  of  the  War  Department  and  of  its  various  bureaus  has 
been  dealt  with  at  some  length  in  a  number  of  works.  The  most  recent 
of  these  is  the  "  Legislative  History  of  the  General  Staff  of  the  Army 
of  the  United  States,  1775-1901  "  (Washington,  1901,  S.  Doc.  229, 
56  Cong.,  2  sess.).  This  is  an  official  publication,  compiled  by  Raphael 
P.  Thian  of  the  Adjutant-General's  office;  it  is  composed  of  extracts 
from  the  Journals  of  Congress,  the  Statutes  at  Large,  and  the  Revised 
Statutes,  which  set  forth  the  legislative  history  of  the  various  staff  de- 
partments and  minor  bureaus,  while,  as  a  preface  to  each  office,  there  is 
given  a  brief  resume  of  its  history  with  a  list  of  the  persons  who  hava 
held  it.  In  "  Military  Laws  of  the  United  States "  (Washington, 
1901,  H.  Doc.  545,  56  Cong.,  2  sess.),  are  compiled  the  existing  laws 
relating  to  each  office  of  the  War  Department,  and  summaries  of  the 
legislative  history  of  the  staff  offices  are  added.  Of  the  older  histories 
the  second  part  of  T.  H.  S.  Hammersly's  "Army  Register,  1779- 
y'  1879"  (Washington,  1880)  is  the  best.  A  second  edition  brings  the 
history  to  1887,  but  the  references  below  are  to  the  first.  This  work 
contains  somewhat  detailed  legislative  histories  of  the  staff  departments 
with  full  accounts  of  their  work;  it  also  contains  a  general  sketch  of 
the  organization  and  administration  of  the  War  Department  from 
1776,  by  William  A.  DeCaindry,  which  is  also  to  be  found  in  Senate 
Report  555  (45  Cong.,  3  sess.)  on  the  reorganization  of  the  Army. 
From  this  report  as  well  as  from  the  "  Compilation  of  Official  Docu- 


INTR  OD  UCTION.  7  3 

merits  illustrative  of  the  Organization  of  the  Army  of  the  United 
States,  from  1789  to  1876  "  (Washington,  1876)  may  be  drawn  a  large 
amomit  of  valuable  material  relating  to  the  history  of  the  department 
and  of  its  bureaus.  L.'D.  Ingersoll's  "  History  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment" (Washington,  1879)  is  sketchy  and  unsatisfactory.  The 
"  Cockrell  Report "  (S.  Rept.  507,  part  3,  50  Cong.,  1  sess.)  and  the 
additional  report  of  1889  (S.  Rept.  3,  special  sess.)  contain  a  vast 
amount  of  detailed  information  about  the  kinds  and  methods  of  work 
in  the  various  bureaus  of  the  War  Department,  but  the  changes  in 
organization  since  the  date  of  that  report  have  been  so  many  that  it 
cannot  be  depended  upon  for  information  relating  to  the  classes  of 
records  likely  to  be  found  in  the  respective  bureaus  at  present.  Of 
registers,  the  latest  is  the  "  Historical  Register  and  Dictionary  of  the^^ 
United  States  Army,  1789-1903",  by  Francis  B.  Heitman  (2  vols., 
H.  Doc.  446,  57  Cong.,  2  sess.,  not  official).  This  contains  lists  of 
wars,  battles,  campaigns,  military  events,  etc.,  as  well  as  the  lists  of 
officers,  but  has  no  historical  account  of  the  department.  The  various 
editions  of  Army  Regulations,  while  not  historical,  contain  much  infor- 
mation relating  to  the  records  of  the  department,  inasmuch  as  they 
prescribe  the  duties  of  the  various  offices  and  the  different  kinds  of 
records  to  be  kept,  as  well  as  the  methods  of  keeping  them;  the  annual 
reports  of  the  department  and  its  offices  and  bureaus  contain  much 
valuable  information  as  to  the  workings  of  the  department  from  year 
to  year,  and  not  infrequently  contain  quite  detailed  accounts  of  certain 
classes  of  records.  Finally  there  are  a  number  of  separate  histories 
of  the  respective  bureaus  of  the  department,  most  of  .which  are  referred 
to  below.  The  above  somewhat  long  bibliographical  note,  relating  to 
the  history  and  duties  of  the  department,  is  included  because  of  the 
light  that  the  works  mentioned  throw,  though  often  indirectly,  upon 
the  various  classes  of  records  in  the  department. 

More  direct  information  relating  to  the  archives  in  the  War  Depart- 
ment is  to  be  found  in  many  of  the  annual  reports  of  the  various  offices, 
as  already  noted,  and  in  Winsor's  "America"  (VII,  413);  but  espe-^^ 
cially  in  a  unique  publication  entitled  "  List  of  the  Records  and  Files  ' 
of  the  War  Department"  (Washington,  1890).  This  volume  of  115 
pages,  exclusive  of  the  index,  contains  a  brief  statement  of  the  duties 
of  each  office  and  division,  a  list  of  the  clerks  employed  therein,  and 
a  list  of  the  records  and  files  preserved  there.  This  list  is  presumably 
complete  and  accurate,  although  a  few  minor  errors  were  discovered 
in  the  special  examination  made  for  this  report;  it  was  called  for  by 
War  Department  circular  of  May  14,  1889,  and  was  compiled  within 


74  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

ten  days;  hence  it  is  possible  that  some  few  records  may  have  been 
overlooked.  Some  of  the  lists  furnished  are  detailed^  specific,  and 
informing;  others  give  but  little  information,  and  few  if  any  are 
descriptive.  The  titles  of  volumes  or  of  classes  of  files  frequently 
throw  but  little  light  on  their  real  character  or  value.  Possibly  the 
greatest  value  of  this  publication  is  that  it  shows  definitely  the  dates 
on  which  the  various  classes  of  records  commenced,  and  gives  an  idea 
of  the  bulk  of  the  material  in  1889;  it  cannot  however  be  used  as  a 
guide  at  the  present  time,  inasmuch  as  the  most  valuable  of  the  records 
there  listed  have  been  consolidated  in  the  Record  and  Pension  Office 
and  have  been  entirely  rearranged.  Furthermore  the  volume  of  the 
files  has  greatly  increased  and  in  all  the  offices  the  method  of  pre- 
serving and  recording  them  has  been  radically  changed.  The  principal 
use  made  of  it  in  the  preparation  of  this  report  has  been  to  supplement 
the  information  obtained  from  a  personal  examination. 

Much  important  material  contained  in  the  files  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment has  been  printed;  more  particular  mention  of  this  published 
material  is  made  below  under  those  offices  the  files  of  which  are  to 
any  extent  printed.  The  publications  of  the  War  Department  down 
to  1881  are  listed  in  S.  Ex.  Doc.  47,  47  Cong.,  1  sess. ;  additional 
publications  are  noted  in  "  Subject  Catalogue  No.  2  ",  War  Depart- 
ment Library,  while  the  annual  reports  of  the  Government  Printing 
Office  contain  lists  of  the  documents  printed  for  the  War  Department. 

As  is  noted  below,  the  greater  part  of  the  records  of  the  department 
that  are  of  historical  value  have  been  placed  in  the  Record  and  Pen- 
sion Office;  there  are  therefore  left  to  the  other  oflfices,  in  general,  only 
the  records  that  are  of  a  purely  administrative  character.  The  extent 
of  the  historical  and  administrative  records  of  the  department  is  too 
great  to  be  readily  estimated;  with  the  exception  of  the  special  collec- 
tion of  Revolutionary  records  described  under  the  Record  and  Pension 
Office,  they  do  not  antedate  1800,  owing  to  the  fire  in  that  year.  Other 
losses  were  suffered  in  1814.  The  files  are  for  the  most  part  well 
arranged  and  cared  for.  The  method  of  filing  and  indexing  has 
changed  somewhat  from  time  to  time,  but  the  card-system  is  now  in 
use  throughout  the  department. 

Access  to  the  records  is  gained  by  permission  from  the  Secretary 
of  War,  or  in  the  case  of  those  in  the  Record  and  Pension  Office, 
through  the  chief  of  that  office.  For  the  reasons  given  in  the  order 
which  will  be  found  below,  access  to  the  latter  is,  for  the  present  at 
least,  not  generally  granted,  and  they  cannot  be  said  to  be  open  to 
historical  workers  for  purposes  of  investigation. 


DIVISION    OF   MILITARY   INFORMATION.  75 

The  library  of  the  War  Department  deserves  special  notice.  It  is 
under  the  direction  of  the  Chief  Signal  Officer  and  contains  an  unus- 
ually fine  collection  of  military  literature.  It  is  notably  rich  in  publi- 
cations of  the  various  states  relating  to  military  affairs,  and  in  public 
documents. 

RECORD    DIVISION,    OFFICE    OF    THE    SECRETARY    OF    WAR. 

The  duties  of  the  Record  Division  of  the  Office  of  the  Secretary  of 
War  consist  in  recording  and  indexing  the  official  letters,  telegrams, 
and  orders  that  are  sent  from  the  offices  of  the  Secretary,  Assistant 
Secretary,  and  chief  clerk  of  the  War  Department  (the  latter  officer, 
under  the  immediate  direction  of  the  Secretary  and  Assistant  Secre- 
tary of  War,  having  supervision  over  the  records) ;  searching  the 
records  for  information  to  enable  the  department  to  take  proper  action 
upon  cases  that  are  presented;  the  preparation  of  briefs  in  cases  in 
which  complicated  questions  are  involved,  and  which  comprise  volu- 
minous papers;  and  arranging  and  filing  Senate  and  House  bills, 
documents,  and  reports  pertaining  to  the  War  Department  or  the  mili- 
tary establishment. 

The  files  of  the  Record  Division  date  only  from  1867,  all  papers 
from  1800  to  1866  having  been  by  War  Department  order  of  May 
15,  1894,  transferred  to  the  Record  and  Pension  Office.  From  1867 
to  1894  the  files  of  the  Record  Division  are  complete,  but  since  1894 
papers  receiving  departmental  action  have  been  merely  recorded  in 
this  division,  being  permanently  filed,  together  with  press  copies  of 
the  letters  containing  the  departmental  action,  in  the  bureaus  to  which 
they  pertain.  Papers  pertaining  to  two  or  more  bureaus,  however,  are 
filed  in  this  division,  and  the  action  of  the  department  in  regard  to 
them  is  noted  in  those  bureaus.  Commencing  in  1903  duplicate  press 
copies  of  letters  that  are  signed  by  the  Secretary,  Assistant  Secretary, 
and  chief  clerk  have  been  preserved  in  letter-books  in  this  division. 

The  files  from  1867  to  1904  fill  about  450  file-boxes,  are  for  the 
most  part  arranged  numerically,  and  are  fully  indexed;  to  1890,  in 
index-books,  since  that  date,  by  the  card-system.  For  an  account  of 
the  records  prior  to  1867  see  the  description  of  the  Record  and  Pension 
Office. 

DIVISION   OF  MILITARY   INFORMATION,   OFFICE   OF   CHIEF 

OF    STAFF. 

The  Division  of  Military  Information  was  established  in  the  Adju- 
tant-General's Office  in  1892  (order  of  May  15,  1892),  but  was  trans- 


76  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

f erred  to  the  Office  of  Chief  of  Staff  in  August,  1903.  Its  duties  are 
to  gather,  at  home  and  abroad,  any  and  all  military  information 
tending  to  increase  the  efficiency  of  the  Army.  Lists  of  its  publica- 
tions, which  embody  the  results  of  its  work,  are  printed  in  the  annual 
reports  of  the  Adjutant-General,  commencing  in  1894. 

RECORD    AND   PENSION    OFFICE. 

The  Record  and  Pension  Office  has  become  the  depository  of  by  far 
the  larger  and  more  important  part  of  the  military  archives  of  the 
Federal  Government.  Here  are  preserved  practically  all  the  records 
that  are  in  the  possession  of  the  government  relating  to  the  command 
and  administration  of  the  military  forces,  whether  volunteer  or  regular, 
in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  and  to  their  personnel.  They 
include  the  muster  rolls,  returns,  reports,  and  other  records  required 
to  be  kept  by  military  organizations ;  hospital  records  and  rolls ;  reports 
and  accounts  of  engagements,  battles,  movements  of  troops,  etc.;  cor- 
respondence of  officers  relating  to  their  official  duties;  the  larger  part 
of  the  records  of  the  Office  of  the  Secretary  of  War ;  captured  records 
(notably  the  Confederate  archives,  the  Philippine  insurgent  records 
being  in  the  Bureau  of  Insular  Affairs) ;  and  the  records  of  the 
administration  of  civil  government  by  the  military  authorities  in  the 
south  and  in  California  and  New  Mexico.  In  short,  these  records 
constitute  the  documentary  history  of  the  military  activities  of  the 
United  States.  They  extend  from  the  beginning  of  the  Revolution  to 
the  present  time,  but  those  prior  to  1815  are  not  complete.  Nearly 
all  of  the  records  relating  to  the  Revolution  were  formerly  in  other 
departments  and  have  been  but  recently  transferred  to  this  office.  To 
a  less  extent  the  same  is  true  of  the  records  of  the  War  of  1812.  The 
records  of  the  regular  establishment  are  continuous  since  1800.  Those 
of  the  volunteer  forces  are  of  course  grouped  by  war  periods. 

Inasmuch  as  this  material  is  not  yet  accessible  to  persons  not  under 
the  authority  of  the  War  Department,  only  the  most  superficial  exam- 
ination of  it  was  permitted  in  the  preparation  of  this  report.  Had, 
however,  the  authorities  or  the  limits  of  time  allowed  a  detailed  inves- 
tigation, the  results  would  have  constituted  such  a  voluminous  report 
that  its  inclusion  in  this  survey  of  the  archives  would  have  been 
impracticable.  From  the  superficial  examination  permitted,  and  from 
a  diligent  use  of  annual  reports  and  other  accessible  material  in  print, 
the  following  history  of  the  office  as  a  depository  of  records  and  the 
appended  descriptions  of  the  different  classes  of  material  have  been 


RECORD   AND   PENSION   OFFICE.  'j'j 

prepared,  which,  it  is  believed,  form  an  adequate  account,  although 
in  general  terms,  of  these  important  military  archives.  The  history 
of  the  office  is  given  somewhat  fully  because  it  is  of  interest  in  illus- 
trating the  gradual  development  of  large  groups  of  archives  and  of 
proper  methods  for  their  care,  preservation,  and  arrangement.  The 
material  is  described  by  classes  rather  than  chronologically  because 
the  sources  from  which  these  descriptions  are  prepared  make  that  the 
only  practicable  method,  and  because,  also,  it  conveys  more  readily, 
in  this  case  at  least,  a  proper  idea  of  just  what  records  are  on  file. 

The  Record  and  Pension  Office  was  originally  a  division  in  the 
office  of  the  Surgeon-General  and  as  such  had  the  custody  of  the 
hospital  records,  being  charged  with  furnishing  to  the  Pension  and 
other  bureaus  medical  histories,  i.  e.,  the  records  of  medical  treatment 
of  soldiers.  In  1889  it  was  decided  to  bring  the  military  and  hospital 
records  together  in  one  office,  and  by  War  Department  orders  of  July 
3  and  16  the  Record  and  Pension  Division  of  the  Surgeon-General's 
Office  and  thirteen  divisions  in  the  office  of  the  Adjutant-General, 
containing  the  books,  rolls,  papers,  correspondence,  and  other  records 
relating  to  the  volunteer  organizations  that  had  been  in  the  service  of 
the  United  States,  as  well  as  the  records  of  prisoners  of  war,  the 
records  of  the  military  districts  during  the  Reconstruction  period,  the 
records  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau,  and  the  records  of  the  Provost- 
GeneraFs  Office,  were  consolidated  as  a  division  of  the  Secretary's 
Office,  with  the  title  Record  and  Pension  Division  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment. The  thirteen  divisions  of  the  Adjutant-General's  Office  thus 
transferred  were  as  follows:  (1)  Volunteer  Service,  (2)  Enrollment, 
(3)  Bounty  and  Claims,  (4)  Remuster,  (5)  Correspondence,  Volun- 
teer Enlisted  Branch,  (6)  Letters  Received,  Volunteer  Enlisted 
Branch,  (7)  First  Division,  Volunteer  Rolls  and  Records,  (8)  Second 
Division,  Volunteer  Rolls  and  Records,  (9)  Discontinued  Commands, 
(10)  Records  of  Prisoners  of  War,  (11)  Volunteer  Registers,  (12) 
Deserters,  Volunteer  Enlisted  Branch,  (13)  Pension  Record,  Volun- 
teer Enlisted  Branch. 

The  work  of  the  new  division  was  of  such  importance  that  in  1892 
(27  Stat.  L.  27)  it  was  established  as  a  regular  bureau  of  the  War 
Department  (its  present  status)  with  the  title  of  Record  and  Pension 
Office,  and  was  entrusted  with  the  "  charge  of  the  military  and  hospital 
records  of  the  volunteer  armies  and  the  pension  and  other  business  of 
the  War  Department  connected  therewith  ". 

The  files  of  the  office  received  important  additions  under  the  acts 
of  1892  and  1894  (27  Stat.  L.  275;  28  ih'id.  403)  in  the  form  of  all 


78  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

the  military  records  of  the  Revolution  and  the  War  of  1812^  which 
had  hitherto  been  scattered  through  various  executive  departments. 

Still  further  additions  were  made  by  the  department  orders  of  May 
15^  1894^  which  transferred  to  the  Record  and  Pension  Office  the 
archives  of  the  Confederate  government^  previously  left  in  the  Adju- 
tant-General's Office;  all  the  records  and  files  through  1867  that  had 
been  preserved  in  the  Record  Division  of  the  Secretary's  Office,  com- 
prising mainly  the  correspondence  of  the  Secretary  of  War ;  and  finally 
all  "  records,  files,  books,  manuscripts,  orders,  returns,  or  correspond- 
ence in  any  Bureau "  pertaining  "  exclusively  or  principally  to  the 
volunteer  forces  of  any  war  or  the  officers  and  enlisted  men  thereof  ". 

In  December,  1898,  the  War  Records  Office,  which  was  engaged  in 
compiling  and  publishing  the  "  Official  Records  of  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion  ",  was,  together  with  its  great  volume  of  papers  comprising 
the  records  of  the  Civil  War,  merged  in  the  Record  and  Pension  Office, 
and  the  work  of  completing  the  publication  of  the  "  Official  Records  " 
was  carried  on  by  that  office  (see  act  of  February  24,  1899,  and  also 
report  of  Record  and  Pension  Office  for  1900). 

One  result  of  the  Spanish  War  was  the  accumulation  of  a  vast 
amount  of  records,  and  in  the  act  of  April  22,  1898,  creating  the 
Volunteer  Army,  was  the  provision  that  upon  the  disbandment  of  the 
volunteer  and  militia  organizations,  all  the  military  and  medical  records 
pertaining  to  them  should  be  filed  in  the  Record  and  Pension  Office; 
by  the  close  of  1901  this  provision  had  been  complied  with. 

Finally  by  department  orders  of  August  19  and  26  and  September 
28,  1903,  and  of  January  26,  1904,  the  files  of  the  Mail  and  Record, 
Orders  and  Supply,  Personnel,  Efficiency,  Returns,  and  Rolls  Divi- 
sions, and  of  the  Appointment  Commission  of  the  Adjutant-General's 
Office  comprising  the  records  of  the  Regular  Army,  and  all  papers 
and  records  of  the  Surgeon-General's  office  relating  to  officers  and 
enlisted  men  no  longer  in  the  Medical  Department,  together  with  all 
hospital  and  medical  records  relating  to  members  of  the  Volunteer  and 
Regular  Armies,  were  transferred  to  the  Record  and  Pension  Office,  the 
purpose  of  the  orders  being  "  to  concentrate  in  the  Record  and  Pension 
Office  the  historical  records  and  business  of  the  Department,  including 
all  pension  and  other  business  relating  to  the  military  or  medical 
histories  of  former  officers  or  enlisted  men  of  the  Regular  or  the 
Volunteer  Army,  leaving  to  other  bureaus  or  offices  such  business  of 
a  current  nature  as  relates  in  the  present  to  the  command  or  adminis- 
tration of  the  military  establishment ".     Thus  this  office  has  become 


RECORD   AND   PENSION   OFFICE,  79 

the  depository  of  the  military  archives  of  the  United  States  from  the 
War  of  the  Revolution  to  the  present  time. 

Full  accoimts  of  the  history  of  this  office  and  descriptions  of  the 
records,  methods  of  indexing,  etc.,  are  contained  in  the  annual  reports 
of  the  chief  of  the  Record  and  Pension  Office,  from  1892  to  date 
(generally  in  the  first  volume  of  the  reports  of  the  War  Department 
for  each  year). 

The  volume  of  these  files  is  very  great.  Exclusive  of  the  recently 
added  records  of  the  Regular  Army,  they  occupy  about  100  rooms  in 
the  State,  War,  and  Navy  building,  together  with  over  40,000  square 
feet  of  floor  space  in  the  Army  and  Navy  Medical  Museum,  the  Ford's 
Theater  building,  and  two  buildings  on  Seventeenth  and  G  Streets 
(see  report  for  1901  under  the  heading  "Additional  Space  Re- 
quired ").  The  extent  of  this  material  can  best  be  judged  by  a  state- 
ment of  its  weight.  There  are  reported  to  be  something  over  one 
thousand  tons  of  the  records  of  the  volunteer  forces  alone. 

The  simple  but  practically  perfect  method  of  indexing,  known  as 
the  index-record  card-system,  is  described  in  the  various  annual  reports 
of  the  chief  of  the  office,  but  a  particularly  full  account  of  its  working 
and  of  the  history  of  its  application  is  contained  in  the  report  for 
1892.  In  this  system  each  individual  whose  name  appears  on  the 
records  is  represented  by  a  card  bearing  his  name,  rank,  company,  and 
regiment,  and,  in  abbreviated  form,  all  the  information  relating  to  him 
contained  in  the  original  records,  with  references  thereto.  Thus,  if 
necessary,  the  original  files  can  be  readily  examined.  These  cards 
are  arranged  by  regiments  and  alphabetically,  so  that,  given  a  soldier's 
name  and  regiment,  his  medical  or  military  history  can  at  once  be 
ascertained.  Records  which  are  not  most  advantageously  indexed  in 
this  way  are  made  accessible  by  means  of  index  and  reference  cards 
of  various  kinds,  and  there  is  a  list  of  all  rolls,  books,  volumes,  etc., 
on  file;  thus  it  may  be  said  that  all  the  files  of  the  office  have  been  or 
are  in  process  of  being  indexed  and  made  readily  accessible.  At 
present  this  record-index  contains  over  52,000,000  cards,  exclusive  of 
those  for  the  Regular  Army  records. 

There  have  been  no  official  destructions  of  papers  since  1889,  but 
in  that  year  many  papers  in  those  divisions  of  the  Adjutant-General's 
Office  that  later  were  consolidated  with  the  Record  and  Pension  Divi- 
sion were  disposed  of  as  having  no  value  (see  H.  Ex.  Doc.  197,  51 
Cong.,  1  sess. ;  it  should  be  noted  however  that  the  ten  tons  of  Con- 
federate archives  recommended  for  disposal  were  finally  preserved,  S. 
Rept.  1083,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.). 


80  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

Access  to  the  records  is  restricted  to  persons  under  the  authority  of 
the  War  Department;  the  following  rules  govern  the  use  of  this  mate- 
rial for  all  purposes  not  purely  official.  A  more  detailed  statement  on 
the  subject  of  access  to  the  records,  giving  the  reasons  for  its  being 
so  restricted,  is  to  be  found  in  the  report  of  the  chief  of  the  office  for 
1897: 

War  Depabtment,  Washixgtok,  D.  C, 
Orders.]  February  23,  1897. 

The  muster  rolls  and  other  records  of  individual  officers,  enlisted  men  and 
organizations,  which  are  on  file  in  the  Record  and  Pension  Office  of  this  Depart- 
ment and  which  pertain  to  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  the  Mexican  War,  the 
various  Indian  wars,  the  War  of  1812  and  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  have 
become  so  dilapidated  through  years  of  constant  handling,  or  other  causes,  that 
it  has  been  found  necessary  to  adopt  stringent  measures  for  their  preservation, 
and  to  restrict  reference  to  them  to  cases  in  which  such  reference  is  absolutely 
necessary.  Many  of  the  most  important  of  those  records  have  been  reproduced 
by  the  index-record  card  system,  but  the  handling  of  these  cards,  as  well  as  the 
original  records  which  they  represent,  by  persons  not  thoroughly  instructed  in 
their  use  and  not  under  the  control  of  this  Department,  involves  great  danger 
of  the  loss,  though  misfiling  or  otherwise,  of  cards  or  other  records  which  can- 
not be  replaced.  For  these  reasons,  as  well  as  for  others  equally  cogent,  the 
Department  is  compelled  to  restrict  access  both  to  the  original  records  and  the 
index-record  cards  exclusively  to  persons  who  are  in  the  employ  of  the  Depart- 
ment and  are  lawfully  subject  to  its  control. 

The  Department  will  furnish  at  any  time  such  information  relative  to  any 
individual  officer  or  enlisted  man  as  its  records  afford,  and  as  may  be  actually 
necessary  to  enable  the  proper  officials  of  any  State,  or  any  relief  association, 
patriotic  society  or  other  kindred  organization,  to  pass  upon  any  application 
that  may  have  been  made  in  good  faith  for  aid,  relief  or  membership,  and  that 
may  properly  come  within  the  jurisdiction  of  such  officials  or  organization.  But 
requests  for  information  relative  to  individual  officers  or  enlisted  men,  or  for 
the  compilation  of  statistical  or  other  data  relative  to  particular  organizations, 
to  be  used  for  historical  or  memorial  purposes  or  for  publication,  cannot  be 
entertained,  because  the  limited  clerical  force  allowed  by  law  is  insufficient  to 
enable  the  Department  to  comply  with  such  requests  without  serious  inter- 
ference with  more  important  current  work. 

The  records  of  general  historical  value  pertaining  to  the  late  war  have  either 
been  published,  or  soon  will  be  published,  in  the  "  Official  Records  of  the  Union 
and  Confederate  Armies",  so  as  to  render  them  accessible  to  all  who  may  be 
interested  in  them.  Should  Congress  provide  in  future  for  a  similar  publication 
of  the  records  relating  especially  to  individual  officers,  enlisted  men  and  organi- 
zations of  that  war  and  prior  wars,  the  historical  data  which  those  records 
contain  will  also  become  available  for  general  use,  but  until  such  publication 
shall  have  been  authorized,  or  other  legislation  enacted,  it  will  be  impracticable 
for  the  Department  to  furnish  compilations  or  statements  from  those  records 
for  historical,  memorial  or  statistical  purposes,  or  for  publication. 

For  the  reasons  set  forth  above,  the  following  rules  have  been  adopted  rela- 
tive to  the  subject  of  furnishing  statements  or  extracts  from  the  records  of 


RECORD    AND    PENSION    OFFICE.  gl 

the  personnel  of  the  volunteer  armies  and  other  similar  records  on  file  in  the 
Record  and  Pension  Office  of  this  Department,  and  are  hereby  announced  for 
the  information  and  guidance  of  all  concerned: 

1.  All  requests,  made  by  persons  other  than  officials  of  the  United  States,  for 
information  from  the  official  records  must,  to  receive  favorable  consideration, 
set  forth  the  specific  purpose  for  which  they  are  made,  and  must  be  sufficiently 
in  detail  to  enable  this  Department  to  determine  for  itself  how  much,  if  any, 
of  the  information  asked  for  is  necessary  for  the  purpose  indicated  and  can 
be  properly  furnished. 

2.  Any  such  request  that  may  be  made  with  a  view  to  determining  the  merits 
of  an  application  for  State  or  other  aid  or  relief  must  be  made,  over  his  own 
signature,  by  the  State  or  other  official  who  may  be  authorized  by  law  to  decide 
whether  such  aid  or  relief  shall  be  furnished;  or,  in  case  the  decision  rests  with 
a  board,  commission  or  association,  the  request  must  be  made,  over  his  or  her 
own  signature,  by  the  chief  officer  of  the  board  or  other  organization  which  is 
empowered  to  decide  the  case.  All  such  requests  must,  to  receive  favorable 
consideration,  meet  the  following  requirements: 

(a)  The  character  of  the  relief  or  aid  for  which  application  has  been  made 
must  be  fully  and  specifically  set  forth. 

(b)  If  the  application  is  to  be  decided  under  a  law  of  any  State,  that  law 
must  be  definitely  cited. 

(c)  If  the  application  is  pending  before  any  board  or  association,  not  created 
by  or  acting  under  any  law,  the  source  from  which  such  board  or  association 
derives  its  authority  to  act  must  be  stated. 

(d)  If  the  pending  application  is  that  of  some  person  other  than  the  one 
whose  record  is  desired,  the  relationship  of  the  applicant  to  the  person  whose 
record  is  desired  must  be  set  forth. 

(e)  The  full  name  of  the  person  whose  record  is  requested,  the  rank  held  by 
him,  and  the  designation  of  the  organization  in  which  it  is  claimed  that  he 
served,  must  invariably  be  stated. 

3.  Any  request  that  may  be  made  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  a  society  or 
association  to  decide  as  to  the  eligibility  or  non-eligibility  of  an  applicant  for 
admission  thereto  must  be  made  by  the  chief  officer,  over  his  or  her  own  signa- 
ture, of  that  branch  of  the  society  or  association  in  which  the  application  is  to 
be  voted  upon  or  otherwise  decided,  and  must  meet  the  following  requirements: 

(a)  The  title  or  designation,  and  the  location,  of  the  branch  to  which  the 
application  for  membership  has  been  made  must  be  given. 

(6)  The  full  name  and  residence  of  the  applicant,  and  the  date  on  which  the 
application  was  made,  must  be  stated. 

(c)  The  relationship  of  the  applicant  to  the  person  whose  record  is  desired, 
if  the  application  for  membership  was  not  made  by  such  person  himself,  must 
be  set  forth. 

(d)  If  the  record  of  any  other  person  has  been  requested  of,  or  furnished 
by,  the  War  Department  in  connection  with  the  pending  application,  a  state- 
ment to  that  effect,  including  the  name  of  the  person  whose  record  has  been 
requested  or  furnished,  must  be  made. 

(e)  The  full  name  and  rank  of  the  person  whose  record  is  desired,  and  the 
designation  of  the  company  and  regiment,  if  any,  in  which  he  served,  must  be 
invariably  stated  in  all  cases  in  which  service  during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion 
is  claimed. 

7 


82  DEPARTMENT   OF   WAR. 

(f)  The  full  name  of  the  person  whose  record  is  desired,  and  the  State  from 
which  he  entered  service  or  of  which  he  was  a  resident  at  the  time  of  his  entry 
into  service,  must  be  invariably  stated  in  all  cases  in  which  service  during  the 
Revolution  or  the  "War  of  1812  is  claimed.  His  rank  and  the  designation  of 
the  organization  in  which  he  served,  if  known,  should  also  be  stated. 

(g)  Requests  for  the  record  of  a  man  whose  surname  only  is  known,  or  for 
information  relative  to  all  the  men  bearing  a  certain  name,  will  not  be  enter- 
tained. 

4.  Requests  emanating  from  a  post  or  other  subsidiary  organization  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  must  be  forwarded  through,  and  must  be  authen- 
ticated by  the  signature  of,  the  Department  Commander.  Requests  emanating 
from  the  subdivisions  of  other  associations  founded  on  military  service  during 
the  War  of  the  Rebellion  must  be  forwarded  and  authenticated  as  follows: 
Union  Veterans'  Union,  through  department  commanders;  Union  Veteran  Le- 
gion, through  the  National  Commander;  Sons  of  Veterans,  through  division 
commanders. 

5.  The  information  that  will  be  furnished  for  use  in  connection  with  any 
application  for  membership  in  any  society  or  association,  or  for  State  or  other 
aid  or  relief,  will  be  strictly  limited  to  that  which  is  actually  necessary  to  enable 
a  decision  upon  the  pending  application  to  be  made,  and  will  in  no  case  com- 
prise items  that  may  be  desired  for  any  other  purpose,  such  as  to  complete  the 
records  of  a  society,  to  make  some  other  and  different  application,  or  to  be 
used  in  the  prosecution  of  a  claim  against  the  United  States. 

6.  Concise  statements  of  the  military  histories,  so  far  as  shown  by  the  records 
on  file,  of  men  who  served  in  the  Revolution  or  in  the  War  of  1812,  will  be 
furnished  upon  the  application  of  descendants  of  those  men,  under  the  follow- 
ing conditions: 

(a)  The  relationship  of  the  applicant  to  each  person  whose  record  is  desired 
must  be  stated. 

(6)  The  fuU  Christian  name  as  well  as  the  surname  of  such  person  must 
invariably  be  given,  and  the  rank  which  he  held  and  the  designation  of  the 
organization  in  which  he  served,  if  those  are  known,  must  be  stated. 

(c)  The  place,  or  at  least  the  State,  from  which  he  entered  service,  or  of 
which  he  was  a  resident  at  the  time  of  his  entry  into  service,  must  be  desig- 
nated. 

(d)  If  the  name  of  the  person  whose  record  is  desired  is  a  common  one,  the 
designation  of  the  organization  in  which  he  served,  or  the  names  of  some  of 
the  regimental  officers  under  whom  he  served,  must  be  stated. 

(e)  Requests  for  information  relative  to  all  the  men  bearing  a  certain  name 
will  not  be  entertained,  nor  will  any  other  request  involving  an  unreasonable 
expenditure  of  time  and  labor  be  considered. 

(/)  There  wiU  not  be  furnished  to  or  for  any  one  descendant  the  record  of 
service  of  more  than  two  ancestors  in  the  Revolution,  or  of  more  than  two  in 
the  War  of  1812. 

7.  Each  request  for  the  record  of  an  officer  or  enlisted  man  of  any  war 
should  be  made  on  a  separate  sheet  of  paper,  should  be  complete  in  itself,  and 
should  fully  meet  all  the  requirements  of  this  order.  In  no  case  should  re- 
quests for  the  records  of  two  or  more  men  be  combined  in  one  communication. 

8.  Compilations  or  statements  relative  to  individual  officers,  enlisted  men  or 


RECORD   AND   PENSION   OFFICE.  83 

organizations  will  not  be  furnished,  from  the  records  on  file  in  the  Record  and 
Pension  Office,  for  historical,  memorial  or  statistical  purposes,  or  for  publica- 
tion, or  to  complete  the  records  of  States,  societies  or  associations. 

9.  Because  of  the  great  danger  of  the  destruction,  loss  or  misfiling,  through 
handling  by  inexperienced  persons  or  those  not  under  the  control  of  this  Depart- 
ment, of  the  muster  rolls  and  other  regimental  or  company  records,  index- 
record  cards,  and  all  other  similar  records,  which  are  on  file  in  the  Record 
and  Pension  Office,  and  which  pertain  wholly  or  chiefly  to  the  personnel  of  the 
armies  of  various  wars,  the  handling  of  these  records  will  be  restricted  exclu- 
sively to  the  specially  trained  employees  of  that  office,  and  no  information  will 
be  furnished  from  them  except  as  hereinbefore  provided,  or  as  may  be  other- 
wise required  by  law.  Daniel  S.  Lamont, 

Secretary  of  War. 

It  should  be  noted  that  in  the  last  report  (1903)  of  the  chief  of  the 
Record  and  Pension  Office,  the  suggestion  is  made  that,  until  the  early 
military  records  are  made  accessible  by  publication,  their  use  for  his- 
torical purposes,  by  properly  accredited  persons,  should  be  permitted. 
This  suggestion  has  not  as  yet  been  acted  upon,  and,  as  made,  applies 
more  particularly  to  the  miscellaneous  records  of  the  early  wars,  some 
of  which  are  still  scattered  throughout  the  department.  These  records 
should,  it  is  urged,  together  with  all  other  military  records  prior  to  the 
Civil  War  now  in  the  various  executive  departments,  be  brought 
together  in  the  Record  and  Pension  Office,  and  accommodations  for 
their  use  should  be  provided  there. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  mention  the  "  Official  Records  of  the  War 
of  the  Rebellion  ",  which  contain  practically  all  the  material  of  his- 
torical value  relating  to  that  war  that  is  filed  here.  The  history  of  this 
publication  is  recounted  somewhat  fully  in  the  annual  reports  of  the 
Record  and  Pension  Office  for  1900  and  1901,  as  well  as  in  the  index 
volume  of  the  publication  itself.  The  publication  of  the  roster  of 
officers  and  enlisted  men  in  the  Union  and  Confederate  Armies  is  about 
to  be  undertaken,  and  a  description  of  the  plans  for  it  is  to  be  found 
in  the  annual  report  of  the  office  for  1903.  The  records  of  the  Spanish 
War  are  to  a  large  extent  published  in  the  congressional  documents 
noted  under  the  Bureau  of  Insular  Affairs  (p.  105  ff.).  The  records 
of  the  Mexican  War  are  more  fully  published  in  the  contemporary 
congressional  documents  than  is  generally  realized,  and  in  that  series, 
as  well  as  in  "  State  Papers,  Military  Affairs  ",  are  printed  many  other 
papers  and  documents  to  be  found  in  this  office.  It  is  hoped  that  the 
records  of  the  Revolution  and  of  the  War  of  1812  will  soon  be  pub- 
lished by  the  office,  but  this  work  will  not  be  undertaken  until  those 
collections  are  as  complete  as  possible  (see  annual  report  for  1898). 


84  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

I.  Revolutionary  Records. 
The  Revolutionary  records  in  the  Record  and  Pension  Office  are  very 
incomplete,  owing  partly  to  their  having  been  widely  scattered  during 
the  period  between  1783  and  the  establishment  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment, and  partly  to  the  disastrous  fire  of  1800,  in  which  practically  all 
the  records  of  historical  value  in  the  department  were  destroyed 
("American  State  Papers,  Miscellaneous",  I,  232).  Many  of  these 
records  were  formerly  filed  in  other  executive  departments,  and  in  1892 
and  1894,  by  the  acts  referred  to  above,  were  transferred  to  this  office. 
The  largest  bodies  of  records  so  transferred  were  the  Army  Returns 
among  the  Washington  papers,  and  the  Quartermaster's  records,  both 
on  file  in  the  State  Department.  In  addition  to  these  many  more  were 
brought  from  other  departments,  notably  the  Interior  and  the  Treasury, 
and  transcripts  were  made  of  the  Revolutionary  records  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  states  of  New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  and  New  York.  These 
then  are  the  main  sources  of  this  part  of  the  archives  of  the  Record 
and  Pension  Office.  The  following  description  is  drawn  from  the 
inventory  of  the  Washington  papers  in  "  Bulletin  of  the  Bureau  of 
Rolls  and  Library,  No.  3  "  (pp.  15-16),  and  from  a  list  furnished 
by  the  State  Department  of  the  Quartermaster's  records  transferred 
to  the  War  Department  in  1894.  For  other  Revolutionary  records  see 
below  under  Old  War  and  Navy  Division  of  the  Pension  Bureau, 
Interior  Department. 

Army  Returns  of  the  Revolution. 

There  are  thirty-seven  volumes  of  these  papers;  they  comprise  the 
original  rosters  and  returns  on  various  subjects  connected  with  the 
Army,  used  by  Washington  in  camp  and  retained  by  him  as  his  military 
papers.  Transcripts  of  the  papers  prior  to  1776,  made  by  Peter 
Force,  are  to  be  found  in  the  Library  of  Congress.  The  titles  of  the 
volumes  show  their  contents  to  be  rosters  and  resignations  of  officers 
arranged  by  states,  oaths  of  allegiance,  reports  of  guards,  regimental 
and  brigade  returns,  inspection  returns,  quartermasters'  pay  and  hos- 
pital returns,  and  returns  of  clothing,  provisions,  and  military  stores. 
Revolutionary  Records,  Quartermaster's  Department. 

1.  Orderly  books,  June  15,  1775-September  27,  1783  (72  books). 

2.  Letters  and  letter-books. 

a.  Timothy  Pickering,  November   14,   1780-July  9,   1787. 

b.  Samuel  Hodgdon,  1778-October  22,  1800. 

c.  General  E.  Hand,  March  27,  1781-July  6,  1783. 

d.  Major  Thomas  Cogswell,  1780-1783. 

e.  Colonel  J.  Baldwin,  1780-1781. 


RECORD   AND   PENSION   OFFICE.  85 

3.  Account-books,  1776-1798  (15  books). 

4.  Day-books,  1781-1782. 

5.  Estimates,  1776-1793. 

6.  Military  stores;   accounts,  inventories,  books  of  stores   delivered, 

returns,  etc.,  1776-1787. 

7.  Receipts,  1778-1789. 

8.  Peter  Anspack's  receipt-book. 

9.  Ordnance  accounts,  returns,  invoices,  etc.,  1777-1793. 

10.  Returns,  1783. 

11.  Memorandum  books,  1757-1795. 

12.  Oaths,  November  20,  1780-May  18,  1781. 

13.  Provision  returns,  December,  1783. 

14.  Cartridge  ledger,  1778,  1779. 

15.  Account  of  arms  brought  in  ship  "America",  May  6,  1783. 

16.  Musket  cartridge  account,  1778-1780. 

17.  Proceedings  of  arbitrators  (forage  in  New  York),  1781. 

18.  Plan  of  Fort  Washington,  1780. 

19.  Cruise  of  schooner  "  Active  ". 

20.  Records  relating  to  expedition  of  St.   Clair  against  the  Indians, 

1791-1792. 

21.  Plans  for  conducting  Quartermaster-General's  Department,  1780. 

22.  Establishment  of  American  Navy,  May  2,  1778. 

23.  Pay  of  the  Army,  1782. 

24.  Money  orders  drawn  by  Commissary  Department. 

25.  Peter  Anspack's  specie-books. 

26.  Accounts,  bills,  returns,  pay-roUs,  invoices,  etc.,  and  seventy-five 

file-boxes  of  papers  not  specifically  listed. 

II.  Records  of  the  War  of  1812. 
The  records  of  the  War  of  1812  are  not  complete.  Many  of  them 
were  formerly  in  other  departments  but  were  transferred  to  the  Record 
and  Pension  Office  with  the  Revolutionary  records.  It  will  be  noted 
that  some  of  the  classes  of  records  described  below  include  records  of 
the  War  of  1812. 

III.     Records  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 
As  noted  above  under  the  Record  Division  of  the  Secretary's  Office, 
all  the  material  in  that  division  accumulated  before  1867  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Record  and  Pension  Office  in  1894.     These  records  con- 
sist largely  of  correspondence  and  include  both  the  original  files  and 


86  DEPARTMENT    OF    WAR. 

the  record-books  or  registers  of  letters.  The  only  records  prior  to 
1800  are  a  one-volume  register  of  letters  received  and  sent,  1792-1796, 
and  two  volumes  of  ledgers,  1780-1783,  1795-1798.  The  records 
since  1800  are  arranged  in  various  series;  one  series  of  letters-received 
volumes  is  continuous  from  1800,  as  is  also  one  series  of  letters-sent 
volumes.  Other  series  are:  letters  to  the  President,  1800-1863;  deci- 
sions and  orders,  1800—1856;  Quartermaster's  Department  and  Engi- 
neers, 1814-1815;  Quartermaster-General  and  Purchasing  Depart- 
ments, 1814-1815;  confidential  books,  1814,  1836,  1847;  Mexican  War 
accounts;  unofficial  letters  sent  by  Cass,  Spencer,  and  Marcy,  1835— 
1847;  etc. 

IV.     Records  of  the  Regular  Army. 

The  records  of  the  Regular  Army,  formerly  filed  in  the  office  of  the 
Adjutant-General,  were  transferred  to  the  Record  and  Pension  Office 
in  1903—1904.  They  include  (1)  correspondence;  letters  sent  from 
1809  to  date,  letters  received  from  1805;  (2)  returns;  returns  of  posts 
and  camps  from  1808,  of  regiments  from  1821,  of  staff  departments 
and  of  the  Military  Academy  from  1811,  of  departments  and  districts 
from  1809,  of  militia  from  1821,  battle  reports,  1861-1865,  monthly 
personal  reports  of  officers  from  1864;  (3)  regimental  and  company 
books,  with  registers  of  enlistments,  muster  rolls,  clothing  books,  in- 
spection returns,  descriptive  lists,  etc.,  from  1800;  and  (4)  general 
orders  from  1809  (an  index  to  these  is  printed  in  three  volumes: 
"Index  to  General  Orders  and  Circulars,  1809-1900"  (Washington, 
1882,  1886,  1901). 

V.  Records  of  the  Volunteer  Armies. 
The  records  of  the  Volunteer  Armies,  originally  filed  in  the  Adju- 
tant-General's Office,  consist  of  (1)  volunteer  regimental  and  company 
description,  order,  and  report-books,  and  pay  and  muster  rolls  from 
1831  to  1867,  covering  the  Sac  and  Fox,  Black  Hawk,  Creek  and 
Seminole,  Mexican,  New  Mexico  Indian,  and  Civil  Wars;  (2)  letters 
received  relating  to  volunteers,  1848  to  1889;  (3)  the  correspondence, 
reports  of  commissioners  and  of  military  and  civil  officers,  and  the 
other  records  of  all  military  commands,  districts,  departments,  etc., 
which  have  been  discontinued,  1817  to  1889,  including  such  important 
records  as  those  of  the  military  governments  of  California  and  New 
Mexico  and  of  the  Reconstruction  districts  in  the  south;  (4)  the  records 
of  the  Provost-Marshal-General's  Bureau,  1863  to  1866;  (5)  records 
of  the  Freedman's  Branch,  1872-1879;  (6)  records  of  the  slave  claim 
commissions  in  Maryland,  Missouri,  Tennessee,  and  Kentucky,  1863— 


OFFICE    OF    THE   ADJUTANT-GENERAL.  87 

1866;  (7)  all  records  pertaining  to  the  authorization,  organization, 
service,  and  discharge  of  volunteer  troops,  and  to  the  original  enlist- 
ments of  volunteers,  substitutes,  and  drafted  men;  and  (8)  lists,  rec- 
ords, rolls,  etc.,  of  Union  and  Confederate  prisoners  of  war,  including 
the  rolls  of  surrendered  Confederate  troops. 

VI.  Confederate  Archives. 
The  Confederate  archives  are  the  records  of  the  administration  of 
the  Confederate  government,  captured,  for  the  most  part,  upon  the 
fall  of  the  Confederacy,  and  placed  in  the  Adjutant-General's  Office. 
Here  they  appear  to  have  remained  for  some  time,  unarranged  and 
unused,  until  it  was  discovered  that  they  contained  evidence  of  great 
value  in  connection  with  cotton  and  other  Southern  claims.  They  have 
since  been  arranged  and  are  now  readily  accessible  and  well  indexed. 
They  consist  of  the  records  and  correspondence  of  the  Confederate 
War  Department,  including  pay-rolls,  returns,  hospital  registers,  and 
orders,  and  the  correspondence  and  other  records  of  the  offices  of  the 
Adjutant  and  Inspector-General's  and  of  the  Engineer,  Ordnance, 
Quartermaster's,  Commissary,  and  Medical  Departments;  the  records 
of  the  State  (see  also  above  under  Miscellaneous  Division,  Treasury 
Department),  Treasury,  Judiciary,  and  Post-Office  Departments;  Navy 
pay-rolls;  contracts;  vouchers;  papers  of  states;  papers  of  vessels; 
and,  probably  most  important  of  all,  the  journals  of  Congress  (53 
volumes),  together  with  about  200  boxes  of  miscellaneous  legislative 
papers. 

OFFICE    OF    THE    ADJUTANT-GENERAL. 

The  office  of  Adjutant-General  has  existed  since  1792  (1  Stat.  L. 
241),  but  the  Adjutant-General's  Department,  by  that  name,  was  not 
established  until  1813  (2  Stat.  L.  819).  The  Adjutant-General's 
Office  may  be  described  as  the  bureau  of  orders  of  the  Army;  it  is 
charged  with  communicating  all  orders  and  instructions  from  the  War 
Department  or  Army  Headquarters,  with  the  management  of  the 
recruiting  service,  etc.  Accounts  of  the  history  and  duties  of  the 
Adjutant-General's  Department  are  to  be  found  in  Military  Laws 
of  the  United  States,  1901  (pp.  257-258),  "Legislative  History  of 
the  General  Staff  "  (pp.  51-82),  Hammersly's  "  Army  Register,  1779- 
1879"  (second  part,  pp.  259-268),  and  James  B.  Fry's  "Sketch  of 
the  Adjutant-General's  Office  "  (New  York,  1875).  The  duties  as  set 
forth  in  Army  Regulations,  1901  (§§  833-834),  have  been  consid- 
erably modified  by  recent  orders. 


88  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

Formerly  the  Adjutant-General's  Office  was  the  repository  of  all 
records  relating  to  the  command  of  both  regular  and  volunteer  forces, 
including  such  classes  of  material  as  muster  rolls,  returns,  correspond- 
ence, reports  of  engagements  and  movements  of  troops,  and  all  records 
relating  to  personnel.  In  1889  practically  all  the  records  relating  to 
volunteer  troops  were  transferred  to  the  Record  and  Pension  Office 
(see  p.  77  ff.),  and  in  1903-1904  the  records  relating  to  the  Regular 
Army  were  also  transferred,  leaving  in  the  Adjutant-General's  Office 
only  such  files  and  records  as  pertain  to  the  strictly  current  work  of 
the  office.  Such  records,  as  soon  as  no  longer  needed,  are  transferred 
to  the  Record  and  Pension  Office.  Lists  of  useless  papers,  which  how- 
ever relate  now  more  particularly  to  the  Record  and  Pension  Office,  are 
contained  in  H.  Ex.  Doc.  197,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.;  H.  Doc.  243,  56 
Cong.,  2  sess.;  and  H.  Doc.  582,  57  Cong.,  1  sess. 

OFFICE    OF    THE    INSPECTOR-GENERAL. 

The  Inspector-General's  Department  was  established  under  the  act 
of  March  3,  1813  (2  Stat.  L.  819),  but  the  office  of  Inspector-General 
was  created  during  the  Revolution.  For  the  history  of  the  office  and 
of  the  department  see  the  "  Legislative  History  of  the  General  Staff  " 
(pp.  85-118),  Military  Laws  of  the  United  States,  1901  (pp.  259- 
264),  and  the  annual  report  of  the  Inspector-General  to  the  Secretary 
of  War  for  1900  (pp.  130-149).  The  duties  of  the  department  are 
very  comprehensive  and  are  concerned  with  nearly  all  the  phases  of 
army  administration.  The  Inspector-General,  with  his  assistants, 
inspects  all  military  commands  and  stations,  the  military  forces,  the 
schools  of  application,  the  military  departments  of  all  colleges  and 
schools  to  which  officers  of  the  Army  are  detailed,  all  depots,  rendez- 
vous, armories,  arsenals,  fortifications,  and  public  works  of  every  kind 
under  charge  of  or  carried  on  by  officers  of  the  Army,  and  the  money 
accounts  of  all  disbursing  officers.  The  inspections  are  especially  for 
the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  efficiency,  state  of  discipline,  and 
adequacy  of  supplies  of  troops;  the  resources,  geographical  features, 
means  of  communication  and  supply,  and  military  needs  of  any  section 
of  the  country;  the  efficiency  and  conduct  of  military  commanders  and 
agents;  the  causes  of  failure  or  delay  in  movements  or  operations — in 
short,  the  general  state  of  the  military  efficiency  of  the  United  States. 

The  records  and  files  of  the  Inspector-General's  Office  consist  of 
correspondence  and  inspection  reports.  These  last  should  be  of  great 
value  for  the  series  of  static  pictures  they  give  of  the  military  condi- 


OFFICE    OF    THE   INSPECTOR-GENERAL.  89 

tions  of  the  country.  For  their  general  character  and  a  list  of  the 
matters  ordinarily  noted,  see  Army  Regulations,  1901  (§§  95G- 
990).  Many  selections  from  them  are  printed  with  the  annual  reports 
of  the  Inspector-General.  The  correspondence  would  be  of  value  in 
supplementing  the  reports  and  in  showing  the  methods  of  administer- 
ing the  Inspector-General's  Department. 

With  the  exception  of  the  five  volumes  noted  below,  the  Inspector- 
General's  office  contains  no  records  or  files  prior  to  1863;  the  earlier 
records  are  said  to  have  been  kept  in  the  Adjutant-General's  office. 
The  records  since  1863  are  in  two  classes,  (1)  communications  re- 
ceived, filling  about  700  file-boxes,  and  (2)  communications  sent, 
preserved  at  first  in  fair  copies,  later  in  press  copies.  Both  classes 
of  communications  are  briefed  in  record-books,  and  the  contents  of 
these  record-books  are  made  accessible  through  indexes. 

Parts  of  the  records  of  the  office  are  considered  confidential. 

Early  Records. 

1.  Inspection  of  October  5,  1812. 

"  Inspector's  Report  of  the  state  of  the  14th  Regiment  of  Infantry, 
commanded  by  Col.  William  H.  Winder."  Reveals  great  neglect  on 
the  part  of  the  government. 

2.  Inspection  Reports,  1814.-1836  (5  vols.). 
a.  Volume  I,   1814-1823. 

(1)  Inspector's  report  of  the  state  of  the  barracks.  Fort  St.  Charles; 
hospital  and  magazine  in  New  Orleans,  June  30,  1814. 

(2)  Inspection  of  Camp  Montgomery  (near  confluence  of  Tombig- 
bee  and  Alabama  rivers),  April  30,  1817. 

(3)  Inspection  report,  Detroit,  January  15,  1817. 

(4)  Confidential  report  on  the  Southern  Division  of  the  Army,  Nash- 
ville, November,  1817. 

(5)  Confidential  report  on  the  troops  at  Sacketts  Harbor,  June  30, 
1814. 

(6)  Confidential  report  on  the  Southern  Division  of  the  Army  under 
the  command  of  Maj  or-General  Andrew  Jackson,  1819. 

(7)  Confidential  report  on  eastern  section  of  Southern  Division  of 
Army,  Fort  Hawkins,  Georgia,  June  30,  1820. 

(8)  Report  of  inspection  of  several  posts,  December,  1821. 

(9)  Report  on  company  at  Augusta  Arsenal,  November  29,  1822. 

(10)  Inspection  of  2d  Regiment  of  Artillery  at  Frankford,  Penn- 
sylvania, August-September,  1822. 

(11)  Notes  of  a  tour  of  inspection,  commencing  December  10,  1822, 
Harpers  Ferry. 


90  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

h.  Volume  II.     Inspection  Reports^  1823-1824. 

(1)  Report,  dated  November,  1821 -November,  1823,  on  Baton 
Rouge,  New  Orleans,  Fort  St.  Philip,  Pensacola,  and  forts  in  Florida, 
Louisiana,  Arkansas,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Illinois,  and  Kentucky. 

(2)  Report  of  a  tour  of  inspection  commencing  November,  1823. 
Pittsburg  Arsenal,  Pensacola,  Fort  Lafayette,  New  York,  and  others. 

(3)  Report  on  Madison  Barracks,  New  York,  July  1,  1824. 

(4)  Report  of  inspection  of  the  left  wing  of  the  Eastern  Depart- 
ment of  the  Army,  1824.  Includes  New  York,  Fort  Howard,  Green 
Bay,  Mackinac,  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  northwest  frontier,  Drummond 
Island,  Detroit,  Niagara,  Rochester,  Sacketts  Harbor,  Springfield, 
Boston,  Watertown,  etc. 

c.  Volume  III.     Inspection  Reports,  1825-1828. 

(1)  Report  of  tour  of  inspection  of  Western  Department  of  the 
Army,  March  21,  1825;  Baton  Rouge,  New  Orleans,  etc. 

(2)  Inspection  of  Fort  Washington,  January  13,  1825. 

(3)  Tour  of  inspection  during  summer  and  fall  of  1826;  Forts 
Brady,  Crawford,  Snelling,  etc. 

(4)  Report  of  tour  of  inspection,  spring,  summer,  and  fall  of  1829. 

(5)  Confidential  report  to  Maj or-General  J.  Brown,  November  16, 
1827. 

(6)  Report  of  Major-General  Gaines  upon  Indian  affairs.  New 
York,  January  6,  1828. 

d.  Volume  IV.     Inspection  Reports,  1829. 

(1)  Inspection  of  Harpers  Ferry,  May  26,  1829. 

(2)  Report  of  tour  of  inspection  in  1829;  Fort  Wood,  Fort  Pike, 
Fort  St.  Philip,  Baton  Rouge. 

(3)  Estimate  of  ordnance  and  supplies  for  military  posts,  etc.,  in 
time  of  peace,  October  21,  1829. 

(4)  Inspection  of  the  United  States  forces  and  military  posts  in  the 
Eastern  Department,  by  E.  P.  Gaines,  for  half-year  ending  December 
31,  1829  (140  pages). 

e.  Volume  V.     Inspection  Reports,  1830-1836. 

(1)  Inspection  of  posts,  March-October,  1830;  Fort  Preble,  Han- 
cock Barracks,  Fort  Sullivan,  Madison  Barracks. 

(2)  Inspection  report.  Fort  Delaware,  July  31,  1834. 

(3)  Inspection  of  Fort  Brady,  July,  1834;  Fort  Mackinac,  Fort 
Howard,  Fort  Winnebago,  Fort  Snelling,  Fort  Crawford,  Fort  Arm- 
strong, Leavenworth  and  Jefferson  Barracks. 

(4)  Inspection  of  Fort  Leavenworth,  August,  1836. 


OFFICE    OF    THE    JUDGE-ADVOCATE-GENERAL,  91 

(5)  Report  of  a  tour  of  inspection  in  the  summer  and  fall  of  1828; 
Fort  Mackinac^  Hancock  Barracks,  etc. 

(6)  Inspection  of  Fort  Des  Moines  and  Rock  Island,  January,  1836. 

OFFICE    OF    THE   JUDGE-ADVOCATE-GENERAL. 

The  oflSce  of  Judge- Advocate  of  the  Army  was  created  in  1775 
(Journals  of  Congress,  July  29,  1775),  was  discontinued  in  1802  (2 
Stat.  L.  132),  but  had  a  second  period  of  existence  from  1812  to  1821 
(2  Stat.  L.  674;  3  ibid.  615).  In  1849  it  was  again  revived  (9  Stat. 
L.  351),  in  1862  was  styled  Judge- Advocate-General  (12  Stat.  L. 
598),  and  in  1864  was  transferred  to  the  newly  created  Bureau  of 
Military  Justice  as  its  head  (13  Stat.  L.  145).  Finally  in  1884  the 
Bureau  of  Military  Justice  and  the  Corps  of  Judge-Advocates  of  the 
Army  were  consolidated  under  the  designation  of  Judge- Advocate- 
General's  Department  (23  Stat.  L.  113).  Accounts  of  the  history 
and  duties  of  the  office  and  of  the  legislation  affecting  it  will  be  found 
in  the  "Legislative  History  of  the  General  Staff"  (pp.  121-136), 
Military  Laws  of  the  United  States,  1901  (pp.  265-268),  Army  Regu- 
lations, 1901  (§§  991-997,  1055-1061),  and  in  "  A  Sketch  of  the 
History  and  Duties  of  the  Judge- Advocate-General's  Department  '* 
(Washington,  1878),  prepared  by  W.  M.  Dunn. 

The  Judge-Advocate-General  reviews  and  makes  reports  upon  the 
proceedings  of  courts-martial,  courts  of  inquiry,  and  military  commis- 
sions, and  makes  reports  upon  applications  for  pardon  or  mitigation  of 
sentence.  He  renders  opinions  upon  questions  relating  to  the  promotion, 
rank,  and  pay  of  officers  and  enlisted  men  and  to  their  amenability  to 
military  and  civil  jurisdiction;  to  the  employment  of  the  Army  in 
execution  of  the  laws;  to  the  administration  of  military  commands  and 
reservations;  to  the  proper  construction  of  acts  of  Congress  relating 
to  the  War  Department,  etc.  He  also  drafts  contracts,  bonds,  leases, 
etc.,  for  execution  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  in  general  is  the  legal 
officer  of  the  War  Department. 

The  important  records  in  the  office  of  the  Judge- Advocate-General 
consist  of  the  original  proceedings  of  general  courts-martial  (courts 
convened  by  general  orders  for  all  trials  of  officers  and  for  trials  of 
enlisted  men  for  serious  offenses),  courts  of  inquiry,  and  military  com- 
missions, together  with  correspondence  and  opinions,  and  of  all  papers 
relating  to  the  title  of  lands  under  the  control  of  the  War  Department, 
except  the  Washington  Aqueduct  and  buildings  and  grounds  within 
the  District  of  Columbia. 


92  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

The  proceedings  of  courts  are  all  similar  in  form  and  consist  of  the 
charge^  plea^  evidence_,  arguments,,  and  decision.  The  proceedings  of 
many  trials  are  to  be  found  printed  in  the  "  American  State  Papers, 
Military  Affairs  ",  and  in  the  congressional  series  of  public  documents, 
and  serve  excellently  as  illustrations  of  this  class  of  material.  The 
historical  value  of  the  greater  part  of  these  records  is  undoubtedly 
slight,  but  the  proceedings  of  many  trials  throw  much  light  on  military 
operations,  conduct  of  officers,  etc.,  and  are  of  great  value  to  the 
student.  Among  such  would  be  the  proceedings  of  the  military  com- 
missions in  the  trial  of  the  "  Lincoln  Conspirators  "  and  in  the  "  Indi- 
ana Treason "  cases,  or  of  the  general  courts-martial  of  Hull  and 
Fremont,  aU  of  which  are  printed.  The  records  of  proceedings  on 
file  in  the  office  of  the  Judge- Advocate-General  date  from  1808;  those 
from  1808  to  1815  are  copies,  made  in  eight  volumes;  the  original 
proceedings  from  1815  to  the  close  of  the  Mexican  War  fill  167  file- 
boxes;  from  the  Mexican  War  to  the  present  time,  about  4,000  file- 
boxes.  The  records  are  so  indexed  and  arranged  that  any  particular 
case  can  readily  be  found,  from  the  name  of  the  person  tried  or,  when 
known,  the  date  of  the  trial ;  the  annual  reports  of  the  Judge- Advocate- 
General  contain  classified  lists  of  trials,  showing  the  number  for  each 
class  of  offense,  and  thus  serve  to  indicate  the  general  character  of  the 
material  filed  in  the  office.  The  '*  Subject  Index  of  the  General  Orders 
of  the  War  Department"  (in  three  volumes,  1882,  1886,  and  1901) 
contains,  under  "  court-martial  ",  "  courts-martial  ",  "  court  of  in- 
quiry ",  and  "  commission,  military  ",  lists  of  general  orders  convening 
such  bodies,  which  serve  as  a  guide  to  part  of  the  records,  especially  to 
that  part  between  1809  and  1860. 

The  records  of  minor  courts  (regimental,  garrison,  summary,  etc.) 
were  formerly  filed  here,  but  under  the  acts  of  March  3,  1877  (19 
Stat.  L.  310),  and  June  18,  1898  (30  Stat.  L.  483),  they  are  now 
preserved  for  two  years  at  departmental  headquarters  and  then  de- 
stroyed. Such  of  these  records  as  were  filed  in  the  office  of  the  Judge- 
Advocate-General  have  been  disposed  of  as  useless  papers  (see  H.  Ex. 
Doc.  197,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.,  and  H.  Doc.  582,  57  Cong.,  1  sess.). 

The  correspondence  is  arranged  as  letters  received  (on  file  from 
August  1,  1854)  and  as  letters  sent  (copies  filed  from  1842).  The 
letters  sent  include  the  valuable  classes  of  material  comprising  reports 
upon  the  proceedings  of  general  courts-martial,  military  commissions, 
and  courts  of  inquiry,  and  upon  applications  for  pardon  or  mitigation 
of  sentence;  and  opinions  rendered  on  questions  of  law  submitted  to 
the  office.     The  more  valuable  of  the  opinions  are  rendered  accessible 


OFFICE    OF    THE    QUABTEBMASTER-OENEBAL.  93 

in  "  A  Digest  of  the  Opinions  of  the  Judge- Advocate-General  of  the 
Army"  (published  by  authority  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  1880). 

Attention  may  be  directed  to  the  library  of  the  office,  which  is  very 
rich  in  printed  proceedings  of  trials  and  in  works  on  military  law. 

OFFICE    OF    THE    QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL. 

The  duties  of  the  Quartermaster-General  were  performed  by  the 
Secretary  of  War  imtil  the  establishment  of  the  Quartermaster's 
Department  in  1812  (2  Stat.  L.  696).  It  is  the  duty  of  this  depart- 
ment to  provide  the  Army  with  military  stores  and  supplies,  such  as 
clothing  and  equipage,  furniture,  fuel,  lighting,  text-books  and  reading 
matter,  tools,  wagons,  harness,  water  supply,  sewerage,  plumbing,  etc. ; 
to  provide  transportation  by  land  and  water  for  troops,  munitions  of 
war,  and  all  military  supplies;  to  provide  all  buildings  at  military 
posts;  to  construct  and  repair  military  roads,  railways,  bridges,  docks, 
and  wharves;  to  maintain  national  cemeteries;  and  to  furnish  supplies 
to  the  militia  of  the  various  states  as  provided  for  by  law.  Accounts 
of  the  history  and  duties  of  the  Quartermaster's  Department  are  con- 
tained in  H.  A.  Royce's  "  Sketch  of  the  Organization  of  the  Quarter- 
master's Department  from  1774  to  1876  "  (Washington,  1876),  Mili- 
tary Laws  of  the  United  States,  1901  (pp.  290-292),  "  Legislative 
History  of  the  General  Staff"  (pp.  139-140),  Hammersly's  "Army 
Register,  1779-1879"  (second  part,  pp.  315-339),  and  Army  Regu- 
lations, 1901   (§§  1076  ff.). 

The  operations  of  the  department  from  year  to  year  are  set  forth 
in  the  annual  reports  of  the  Quartermaster-General.  By  far  the 
greater  part  of  the  files  have  no  historical  value.  They  consist  of 
vouchers,  returns  of  property  and  stores,  the  records  of  contracts,  and 
the  correspondence  relating  to  the  various  details  of  work,  and  are  of 
the  same  general  character  as  the  records  of  a  large  business  establish- 
ment. The  only  records  possessing  any  value  are  those  which  relate 
to  the  general  work  and  policy  of  the  Quartermaster-General's  Office. 
These  consist  principally  of  correspondence,  and  are  contained  in  two 
series,  letters  received  and  letters  sent,  each  commencing  in  June,  1818. 
There  are  no  files  of  earlier  date,  and  the  larger  part  of  the  records 
are  later  than  1850.  For  the  Quartermaster's  records  of  the  Revolu- 
tion see  under  Record  and  Pension  Office,  pp.  76  ff.  A  great  mass  of 
unimportant  material  is  stored  at  the  Schuylkill  Arsenal  of  the  Phila- 
delphia Quartermaster's  Depot.  A  list  of  such  of  these  as  are  recom- 
mended for  destruction  is  contained  in  S.  Doc.  582,  57  Cong.,  1  sess. 


94  DEPARTMENT   OF   WAR. 

OFFICE    OF    THE    COMMISSARY-GENERAL. 

The  work  of  subsisting  the  Army  was  performed  by  both  the  War 
and  Treasury  Departments  until  1819,  when,  in  accordance  with  the 
act  of  the  previous  year  (3  Stat.  L.  426),  the  office  of  Commissary- 
General  was  established.  The  duties  of  the  office  consist  in  providing 
and  issuing  rations  to  the  Army,  purchasing  and  distributing  articles 
authorized  to  be  kept  for  sale  to  officers  and  enlisted  men,  making  a 
preliminary  administrative  examination  of  accounts  of  subsistence 
funds,  and  examining  and  settling  returns  of  subsistence  supplies. 
The  history  and  duties  of  the  Subsistence  Department  are  fully  set 
forth  in  John  W.  Barriger's  "  Legislative  History  of  the  Subsistence 
Department,  1775-1876"  (Washington,  1877),  Military  Laws  of  the 
United  States,  1901  (pp.  305-308),  "  Legislative  History  of  the 
General  Staff"  (pp.  237-238),  Hammersly's  "Army  Register,  1779- 
1879"  (pp.  340-343),  Army  Regulations,  1901  (§§  1351  ff.),  and 
"  Manual  for  the  Subsistence  Department,  1902  ". 

The  records  and  files  of  the  office  consist  of  correspondence  and 
accounts,  and  are  complete  from  their  beginning  in  1818  with  the 
exception  of  those  destroyed  as  useless  (see  H.  Ex.  Doc.  197,  51  Cong., 
1  sess.,  and  H.  Doc.  582,  57  Cong.,  1  sess.).  The  correspondence  is 
arranged  in  various  series:  registers  of  letters  received  (containing 
briefs  of  the  letters)  are  in  a  single  continuous  series  from  May,  1818, 
to  May  14,  1875,  when  additional  series,  relating  to  accounts,  returns, 
etc.,  were  inaugurated;  registers  of  letters  sent  (containing  copies  of 
the  letters)  are  arranged  in  the  same  way,  beginning  in  November, 
1818,  but  in  January,  1840,  a  separate  series  of  registers  of  letters  to 
the  Secretary  of  War  was  started.  The  accounts  and  other  records 
consist  of  records  of  contracts,  from  June  1,  1819,  papers  relating  to 
claims  for  subsistence  furnished,  records  of  expenditures,  etc. 

OFFICE    OF    THE    SURGEON-GENERAL. 

The  Medical  Department,  with  a  Surgeon-General  at  its  head,  was 
established  in  1818  (3  Stat.  L.  426),  although  there  had  previously 
been  medical  officers,  and  in  1813  (2  Stat.  L.  819)  a  Physician  and 
Surgeon-General  had  been  authorized.  The  work  of  the  Medical  De- 
partment consists  of  investigating  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  Army, 
of  caring  for  the  sick  and  wounded,  of  making  physical  examinations  of 
officers  and  enlisted  men,  of  the  management  and  control  of  military 
hospitals,  the  control  of  the  Hospital  Corps  and  the  Army  Nurse  Corps, 
and  of  furnishing  medical  and  hospital  supplies.     For  fuller  informa- 


f  UWIVERSIT^ 

OFFICE    OF   THE   PAYMASTER-GENERAL.  95 

tion  relating  to  the  history  and  duties  of  this  department  see  Mili- 
tary Laws  of  the  United  States,  1901  (pp.  363-365),  "Legislative 
History  of  the  General  Staff  "  (pp.  361-362),  Hammersly's  "  Army 
Register,  1779-1879  "  (second  part,  pp.  351-379),  Army  Regulations, 
1901  (§§  1570  if.),  and  Harper  E.  Brown's  "Medical  Department 
of  the  U.  S.  Army,  1775-1873"  (Washington,  1873).  The  annual 
reports  of  the  Surgeon-General  contain  detailed  accounts  of  the  work 
of  the  department  from  year  to  year,  while  a  list  of  its  publications 
is  to  be  found  in  S.  Ex.  Doc.  47,  47  Cong.,  1  sess.  Finally  "  The 
Medical  and  Surgical  History  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  "  (5  vols., 
Washington,  1870)  should  be  noted. 

The  files  of  the  Surgeon-General's  Office  can  hardly  be  said  to  be 
of  historical  value.  All  papers  relating  to  the  pension  business  of  the 
War  Department,  and  to  the  personnel  of  the  Medical  Department  and 
Hospital  Corps  (except  those  relating  to  persons  still  connected  there- 
with), together  with  all  hospital  returns,  reports  of  medical  officers,  and 
other  papers  and  documents  relating  to  the  medical  or  surgical  treat- 
ment of  officers  and  enlisted  men  in  the  Regular  and  Volunteer  Armies 
have  been  transferred  to  the  Record  and  Pension  Office. 

Of  the  remaining  records,  the  correspondence  is  of  most  general 
interest.  Both  letters  sent  and  letters  received  commence  in  1818  and 
there  are  no  records  of  earlier  date  in  the  office.  As  illustrative  of 
the  character  of  the  more  valuable  portions  of  this  material  may  be 
mentioned  a  letter  from  the  Surgeon-General  to  Thomas  H.  Benton, 
in  1838,  describing  the  conditions  to  be  encountered  in  Florida  by 
would-be  settlers,  and  another  letter  of  1829,  in  response  to  a  resolution 
of  Congress,  containing  information  relative  to  the  use  of  liquor  in  the 
Army.  The  letters  to  the  Secretary  of  War  appear  to  have  most 
interest.  The  original  letters  received  to  1871  are  stored  in  the  Army 
Medical  Museum  building  in  chests,  and  are  not  readily  accessible. 
Lists  of  useless  papers  are  printed  in  H.  Ex.  Doc.  197,  51  Cong.,  1 
sess.,  and  H.  Doc.  582,  57  Cong.,  1  sess. 

OFFICE   OF    THE    PAYMASTER-GENERAL. 

The  office  of  Paymaster-General  was  established  in  1775  (resolu- 
tion of  June  16,  1775),  but  in  1787  was  merged  in  that  of  Commis- 
sioner of  Army  Accounts  (resolution  of  March  23,  1787).  In  1792 
a  Paymaster  of  the  Army  was  appointed  (1  Stat.  L.  27-29)  and  in 
1816  the  Pay  Department,  with  a  Paymaster-General  at  its  head,  was 
established  (3  Stat.  L.  297).     The  Pay  Department  "has  charge  of 


96  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

the  supply  and  distribution  of  and  accounting  for  funds  for  the  pay- 
ment of  the  Army,  and  such  other  financial  duties  as  are  specially 
assigned  to  it"  (Army  Regulations,  1901,  §  1442).  Sketches  of 
the  history  and  duties  of  the  department  are  contained  in  Military 
Laws  of  the  United  States  (pp.  347—349),  "  Legislative  History  of 
the  General  Staff  "  (pp.  443—479),  and  in  a  pamphlet  of  forty-five 
pages  published  by  the  Paymaster-General's  Office  in  1876:  "  A  Sketch 
of  the  Organization  of  the  Pay  Department,  United  States  Army  ". 

The  records  of  the  Paymaster-General's  Office  are  practically  without 
historical  value.  The  pay-rolls  and  other  records  that  throw  light  on 
the  forces  and  organization  of  the  different  commands  are  in  the  cus- 
tody of  the  Auditor  for  the  War  Department.  There  are  no  Revolu- 
tionary records  in  this  office;  the  files  of  letters  received  are  continuous 
from  1789,  of  letters  sent,  from  1808.  The  records  of  payments  to 
officers  are  complete  since  1824;  of  payments  to  discharged  or  enlisted 
men,  since  1839;  of  payments  to  retired  enlisted  men,  since  1885;  and 
there  are  two  volumes  of  decisions  between  1808  and  1871.  The 
records  of  payments  to  volunteers  have  been  transferred  to  the  Record 
and  Pension  Office.  The  correspondence  is  mostly  with  officers  of  the 
Pay  Department  and  with  persons  having  claims  on  the  government 
for  services  or  expenses  in  the  Army.  For  lists  of  records  destroyed 
as  valueless,  see  H.  Ex.  Doc.  197,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.,  and  H.  Doc.  582, 
57  Cong.,  1  sess. 

CHIEF    OF    ENGINEERS. 

The  Corps  of  Engineers  was  formally  established  in  1779  (Journals 
of  Congress,  March  11,  1779),  but  was  disbanded  in  1783  (Journals 
of  Congress,  October  10  and  31,  1783).  In  1794  (1  Stat.  L.  366)  a 
Corps  of  Artillerists  and  Engineers  was  formed,  and  in  1802  (2  Stat. 
L.  132)  the  Corps  of  Engineers  was  more  completely  organized,  and 
made  distinct  from  the  artillery.  Topographical  engineers  were  pro- 
vided for  in  1813  (2  Stat.  L.  819),  and  by  act  of  August,  1818,  a 
Topographical  Bureau,  under  the  Chief  of  Engineers,  was  established, 
which,  in  1831,  by  general  orders,  was  made  a  distinct  and  independent 
bureau  of  the  War  Department.  In  1863,  however,  it  was  finally 
merged  in  the  Office  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers  (9  Stat.  L.  743).  A 
detailed  history  of  the  Corps  of  Engineers  is  contained  in  Hammersly's 
"Army  Register,  1779-1879"  (second  part,  pp.  272-301);  shorter 
accounts  are  to  be  found  in  Military  Laws  of  the  United  States, 
1901  (pp.  437-438),  and  in  "Legislative  History  of  the  General 
Staff"  (pp.  483—484).     The  laws  relating  to  the  corps  and  its  duties 


CHIEF    OF   ENGINEERS.  97 

are  fully  set  forth  in  each  of  the  works  mentioned,  and  the  rules  gov- 
erning it  are  to  be  found  in  Army  Regulations,  1901  (§§  1677— 
1G93).  The  work  of  the  Office  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers  is  classified 
under  the  following  heads:  fortifications  and  surveys  relating  thereto, 
armament  of  fortifications,  sites  for  engineer  defenses,  boards  of  engi- 
neers for  defenses,  military  reservations,  land  files,  public  buildings  and 
grounds  (see  below  under  Office  of  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds), 
Washington  Aqueduct,  roads  and  bridges  in  Yellowstone  Park,  Bat- 
talion of  Engineers,  United  States  Engineer  School  and  Engineer 
Depot  and  Post,  professional  papers  and  information,  personnel, 
orders,  improvement  of  rivers  and  harbors  and  surveys  relating  thereto, 
bridging  navigable  waters,  removal  of  wrecks  obstructing  navigation, 
accounts  for  disbursements,  contracts,  returns  of  engineer  property  and 
instruments,  application  for  remittances,  appropriations  and  estimates, 
survey  of  the  lakes,  explorations  and  surveys,  reconnoissances,  maps, 
instruments,  fclaims. 

The  records  and  files  of  the  office  relate  to  the  subjects  enumerated 
above ;  the  larger  part  of  them  are  kept  in  the  Record  Division,  but  the 
maps  and  papers  relating  thereto  are  filed  separately.  The  annual 
reports  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers,  with  their  appendixes,  contain  full 
accounts  of  the  work  of  the  corps  from  year  to  year,  and  thus  make 
accessible  the  more  important  information  contained  in  the  files. 
Especially  is  this  true  in  regard  to  reconnoissances  and  expeditions, 
the  reports  of  many  of  which  are  printed  in  full  in  the  annual  reports. 
For  material  prior  to  1863  the  reports  of  the  topographical  engineers 
should  also  be  used.  Lists  of  publications  of  the  Corps  of  Engineers 
are  contained  in  S.  Ex.  Doc.  47,  47  Cong.,  1  sess.,  and  in  a  pamphlet 
printed  in  1876  under  the  title  "  List  of  Publications  of  the  Engineers* 
Department,  U.  S.  Army  ". 

The  record  and  index-books  of  the  office  are  arranged  in  a  number 
of  different  series,  most  of  which  are  complete  from  the  respective 
dates  on  which  they  commence.  The  original  material  prior  to  1850 
is  however  very  incomplete.  It  is  said  in  the  office  that  about  1850 
these  papers  were  sent  to  the  Capitol  and  never  returned.  Doubtless 
they  have  been  destroyed  or  lost;  they  are  not  in  the  Office  of  the 
Chief  of  Engineers  and  they  were  not  discovered  in  the  examination 
of  the  files  in  the  Capitol. 

It  is  impracticable  to  give  a  complete  list  of  the  records  and  files 

in  this  office,  nor  would  such  a  list  be  of  sufficient  value  to  warrant  its 

inclusion  in  this   report.     It  is   believed  however   that  the   following 

account  adequately  describes  the  more  important  classes  of  material 

8 


98  DEPARTMENT    OF    WAR. 

on  file.     For  lists  of  useless  papers  see  H.  Ex.  Doc.   197,  51   Cong., 
1  sess.,  and  H.  Doc.  582,  57  Cong.,  1  sess. 

1.  Title  papers,  17 —  to  date. 

In  this  series  are  filed  all  the  title  papers  for  lands  under  the  charge 
of  the  Engineer  Department,  together  with  the  correspondence  relating 
thereto. 

2.  Correspondence. 

This  class  of  material  consists  of  copies  and  briefs  of  letters  sent, 
and  briefs  of  letters  received  together  with  such  files  of  original  letters 
received,  prior  to  1850,  as  remain  in  the  office,  and  complete  files  of 
letters  received  since  1850.  The  arrangement  of  this  material  is  very 
complicated  and  need  not  be  described  in  full;  it  is  sufficient  to  say- 
that  it  is  arranged  in  various  series  which  commence  or  end  with  the 
dates  of  the  many  redistributions  of  work  among  the  various  divisions 
of  the  office,  so  that  letters  that  form  a  single  series  in  the^arlier  period 
may  form  two  or  three  series  in  later  years.  The  material  all  relates 
to  the  work  of  the  Corps  of  Engineers,  and  the  list  of  subjects  given 
above  sufficiently  suggests  its  character. 
a.  Letters  sent. 

The  earliest  series  commence  in  1812;  in  1889  there  wer.e  about  225 
volumes  in  the  various  series.     Among  others  may  be  noted  four 
volumes  of  letters  sent  relating  to  internal  improvements,  1824- 
1830. 
h.  Letters  received. 

(1)  Originals.  As  noted  above,  the  original  files  of  letters  received 
prior  to  1850  are  very  incomplete  and  are  so  stored  away  as 
not  to  be  readily  accessible.  Some  letters  as  early  as  1789  are 
reported. 

(2)  Briefs  or  records  of  letters  received;  the  arrangement  of  this 
class  of  material  is  similar  to  that  of  the  letters  sent.  The 
earliest  series  commences  in  1806  and  relates  to  fortifications; 
the  next  is  a  general  series,  commencing  in  1819.  In  1889 
there  were  about  110  volumes. 

3.  Accounts. 

Appropriation  and  disbursement  ledgers  commence  in  1840. 

4.  Maps,  charts,  and  papers  relating  thereto. 

a.   Maps,  from  about  1794  to  date   (over  50,000). 

This  collection  probably  contains  the  most  valuable  material  in  the 
office.     The  larger  part  of  the  maps  relate  to  the  ordinary  work  of 


OFFICE    OF  PUBLIC   BUILDINGS   AND    GROUNDS.  99 

the  corps  in  time  of  peace,  and  many  of  them,  such  as  those  relating 
to  surveys  of  the  lakes,  etc.,  are  published.  There  are  however  very 
many  maps  of  battle-fields  (some  of  which  are  published),  of  fortifi- 
cations and  defenses  (considered  confidential),  of  explorations,  recon- 
noissances,  etc.  These  maps  are  at  present  badly  crowded,  but  are 
arranged  as  well  as  possible  under  the  circumstances,  and  a  card-index 
to  them  is  in  preparation. 
b.  Field  books,  etc. 

Filed  with  the  maps  are  field  books,  surveyors'  records,  and  other 
papers  relating  to  the  operations  or  work  represented  on  the  maps. 
The  larger  part  of  this  class  of  material  is  technical,  but  there  are 
many  books  of  great  interest  for  the  accounts  of  movements  and  expe- 
ditions they  contain.  As  illustrative  of  this  class  may  be  mentioned 
a  journal,  kept  by  Major  Howel  Tatam,  in  1814,  of  General  Jackson's 
march  from  the  junction  of  the  Coosa  and  Tallapoosa  rivers  to  Mobile. 

OFFICE    OF    PUBLIC   BUILDINGS    AND   GROUNDS. 

The  care  and  maintenance  of  the  public  buildings  and  grounds  within 
the  District  of  Columbia  devolved  upon  the  Chief  Engineer  of  the 
Army  by  the  act  of  March  2,  1867  (14  Stat.  L.  466),  and  the  Office 
of  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds  became  an  office  under  the  Chief  of 
Engineers,  in  the  War  Department.  This  office  originated  in  January, 
1791,  when,  under  the  act  of  July  16,  1790  (1  Stat.  L.  130),  President 
Washington  appointed  three  commissioners,  whose  duties  were  to  sur- 
vey and  lay  out  the  city  of  Washington,  its  parks,  streets,  squares,  and 
lots,  to  direct  the  sale  of  land,  and  to  supervise  the  erection  of  public 
buildings;  in  short,  these  original  commissioners  were  empowered  to 
construct  a  city.  By  the  act  of  May  1,  1802  (2  Stat.  L.  175),  the  com- 
missioners were  discontinued  in  office  and  their  powers  transferred  to 
the  newly  created  office  of  superintendent,  designated  by  a  later  act 
(2  Stat.  L.  235)  as  Superintendent  of  the  City  of  Washington.  As 
the  duties  of  this  office  grew  more  numerous,  those  relating  to  buildings 
came  to  be  exercised  by  separate  commissioners,  while  the  superin- 
tendent was  chiefly  concerned  with  the  surveying  and  disposition  of 
land.  In  1817  (3  Stat.  L.  324)  the  office  of  superintendent  ceased  to 
exist,  and  that  of  commissioner  was  created  in  its  place.  The  duties 
of  the  commissioner  were  identical  with  those  of  the  original  commis- 
sioners, thus  bringing  the  superintendence  of  both  buildings  and 
grounds  under  one  officer.  In  1867,  as  stated  above,  the  office  of  com- 
missioner was  abolished  and  its  duties  devolved  upon  the  Chief  Engi- 


100  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

neer  of  the  Army.  The  legal  history  of  the  office  is  given  in  full  in 
the  annual  report  of  the  officer  in  charge,  for  1900  (Report  of  Chief 
of  Engineers,  U.  S.  Army,  1900,  part  8,  pp.  5273-5280). 

At  present  the  Office  of  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds  is  charged 
with  the  supervision  and  maintenance  of  public  grounds,  such  as  parks, 
reservations,  circles,  playgrounds,  etc.,  of  the  Washington  Monument, 
of  public  buildings,  including  the  White  House,  except  such  as  are 
otherwise  provided  for  by  law  (e.  g.,  the  Capitol),  and  of  all  public 
statues  and  monuments  within  the  District  of  Columbia;  it  also  keeps 
a  record  of  all  sales  of  public  lots  within  the  District. 

The  records  of  the  office  show  the  disposition  of  lots  within  the  city 
and  the  expenditures  for  the  maintenance  of  buildings  and  grounds, 
such  for  example  as  those  for  the  furnishings  and  care  of  the  White 
House;  in  short,  they  are  the  records  of  the  performance  by  the  Fed- 
eral Government  of  its  municipal  functions.  The  work  of  the  office 
from  year  to  year  since  1867  is  described  in  detail  in  the  annual  reports 
made  by  the  officer  in  charge  to  the  Chief  of  Engineers,  and  printed 
in  the  annual  reports  of  the  latter  officer  to  the  Secretary  of  War. 

Old  Records  of  the  City  of  Washistgtok. 

The  records  of  most  historical  interest  on  file  in  the  Office  of  Public 
Buildings  and  Grounds  are  known  as  the  "  Old  records  of  the  City  of 
Washington ".  These  are  the  books,  correspondence,  maps,  papers, 
etc.,  kept  by  the  commissioners  and  the  superintendent  prior  to  1867, 
when  the  office  was  transferred  to  the  War  Department.  They  are  not 
complete;  from  before  1867  until  1884  they  were  kept  in  the  Capitol 
basement  in  charge  of  a  messenger,  accessible  to  all  who  wished  to  see 
them,  but  in  the  latter  year  they  were  removed  to  the  Winder  building, 
and  in  1888  to  the  State,  War,  and  Navy  building,  where  they  are  now 
properly  cared  for,  arranged,  and  indexed.  A  short  history  of  this 
collection  is  contained  in  the  annual  report  of  the  office  for  1895 
(Report  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  Army,  1895,  part  7,  pp. 
4150—4151),  while  a  list  of  the  papers,  books,  and  maps  is  contained 
in  the  report  for  1900  (ibid.,  1900,  part  8,  pp.  5281-5283).  In  the 
same  document  (ibid.,  pp.  5283—5286)  is  a  detailed  list  of  all  papers 
on  file  in  the  State  Department  "  relative  to  the  affairs  of  the  Federal 
District  and  the  City  of  Washington  ",  as  well  as  a  list  of  the  records 
in  the  office  of  the  surveyor  of  the  District  of  Columbia  "  relating  to 
the  early  history  of  the  City  of  Washington  ",  which  latter  should 
probably  be  filed  in  the  Office  of  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds.  The 
following  list  is  compiled  from  the  published  list  referred  to  above  and 
from  notes  made  during  an  examination  of  the  records  themselves. 


OFFICE    OF  PUBLIC   BUILDINGS   AND    GROUNDS.         101 

Correspondence,  proceedings,  etc. 

1.  Letters  of  the  Commissioners  of  Public  Grounds  and  Buildings  of 

the  City  of  Washington,  1791-1802  (6  vols.),  1815-1883, 1836- 

1840, 1851-1881  (15  vols.). 
These  are  both  letters  received  and  sent;  the  early  ones,  those  of 
the  original  commissioners,  Peter  Charles  L'Enfant,  Andrew  EUicott, 
Nicholas  King,  and  Robert  King,  Sr.,  are  of  especial  interest,  as  they 
relate  to  the  very  beginnings  of  the  city  and  discuss  the  problems 
arising  in  connection  therewith.  A  series  of  fourteen  books  contain- 
ing copies  of  letters  of  the  commissioners,  1792—1798,  appears  to 
duplicate  part  of  the  series  already  described.  A  one-volume  index 
of  letters  received  and  a  similar  one  for  letters  sent  make  these  letters 
readily  accessible. 

2.  Official  letters  received  March  11,  1791-March  15,  1869  (1  vol.). 
These  letters  are  from  the  Presidents  and  relate  primarily  to  the 

city  of  Washington,  although  some  few  other  subjects  are  treated. 
There  are  122  letters  in  all,  of  which  Washington  wrote  fifty-five 
(1791-1797);  John  Adams,  six;  Jefferson,  thirty-seven;  Madison, 
seven;  Monroe,  one;  Jackson,  one;  Van  Bur  en,  three;  Tyler,  one; 
Taylor,  one;  Fillmore,  two;  Pierce,  one;  Buchanan,  four;  Johnson, 
three. 

3.  Proceedings  of  the  Commissioners,  1791-April  2,  1795,  October  25, 

1796-1802  (5  vols.),  1815-1816  (1  vol.),  1838-181^0  (1  vol.). 
These  volumes  contain  the  records  of  the  resolutions  and  actions  of 
the  commissioners,  and  serve  to  supplement  their  correspondence.     A 
one-volume  index  to  them  has  been  prepared. 

Accounts. 

The  following  books  and  papers  relating  to  the  accounts  pertaining 
to  buildings  and  grounds  are  on  file  in  the  office;  their  historical  value 
is  probably  very  slight,  and  items  of  importance  can  be  obtained  from 
a  detailed  list  of  "  Expenditures  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  July  16, 
1790,  to  June  30,  1876",  printed  in  Senate  Document  84,  45  Cong., 
2  sess.  (1)  Ledgers,  1791-1867  (17  vols.);  (2)  Journal,  October 
17,  1791-May  10,  1851  (7  vols.),  1857-1861  (2  vols.);  (3)  Cash- 
books,  1851-1857  (4  vols.);  (4)  Appropriation-book,  1849-1853  (1 
vol.);  (5)  Requisition-book,  1856-1860  (1  vol.);  (6)  Bank-account 
books  of  public  buildings  and  grounds,  1854-1860;  (7)  Check  stubs, 
1815-1869;  (8)  Canceled  checks,  1851-1866;  (9)  Certificates  of 
deposit,  1863-1866;  (10)  Abstract  of  notes  deposited  in  bank,  1838; 


102  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

(11)   Receipted  accounts,  1793-1867;    (12)   Comptrollers'  settlements 

of  accounts,  1820-1867. 

Miscellaneous  papers  relating  chiefly  to  disposition  of  lots. 

The  records  showing  the  disposition  of  lots  are  nearly  complete,  but 
the  more  important  information  contained  in  them  is  in  print:  "  List 
of  lots  belonging  to  the  United  States  and  list  of  lots  donated  by  the 
Government  "  (Sen.  Doc.  106,  56  Cong.,  2  sess.)  ;  "  List  of  lots  sold 
by  the  Government "  (Sen.  Doc.  32,  56  Cong.,  2  sess.,  with  errata  in 
Sen.  Doc.  70,  57  Cong.,  1  sess.)  ;  "  List  of  squares  and  lots  assigned 
to  the  original  proprietors  of  lands  within  the  original  limits  of  the 
City  of  Washington,  as  per  terms  of  agreement  between  the  commis- 
sioners of  public  buildings  and  the  proprietors,  March  30,  1791  " 
(Sen.  Doc.  18,  57  Cong.,  1  sess.).  The  following  original  records  are 
on  file  in  the  office: 

(1)  Original  proprietors'  accounts  and  divisions  of  squares  (in 
various  series),  1791-1809;  (2)  Records  of  sales  of  lots,  1791-1802; 

(3)  Selection  of  lots  by  Greenleaf,  Morris,  and  Nicholson,  1794-1797; 

(4)  Deeds  of  exchange  and  conveyance  for  CarroUsburg  and  Ham- 
burg, and  redivision  of  lots  in  those  sections,  1790—1791;  (5)  Plans, 
deeds,  plat-books,  assignations  of  lots,  agreements,  bonds,  etc.;  (6) 
Contracts,  1791-1866;  (7)  Proposals,  1795-1866;  (8)  Estimates  for 
repairs,  materials,  etc.,  1816—1866;  (9)  Instruments  signed  by  Presi- 
dents Washington  and  Adams  approving  the  Dermott  plan,  1797- 
1798;   (10)   Soundings  of  the  Potomac  River,  1795-1796. 

Maps. 

(1)  The  original  plan  of  L'Enfant,  1791;  (2)  Copies  of  parts  of 
L'Enf ant's  plan,  by  J.  R.  Dermott;  (3)  Dermott's  approved  map  of 
Washington,  1795;  (4)  Plan  showing  water  lots,  1797;  (5)  Plan  of 
wharves,  by  N.  King,  1797;  (6)  Map  of  Washington,  by  N.  King, 
probably  1797;  (7)  Navy  Yard  reservation,  1799;  (8)  Plat  of  ground 
west  of  present  Botanic  Gardens,  probably  1802;  (9)  Plan  of  grounds 
adjacent  to  Capitol,  1822;  (10)  Maps  of  Kalorama,  showing  first 
boundary  stone;  (11)  Plan  for  arching  Tiber  Creek,  1864;  (12)  Real 
estate  maps,  plans  of  various  parts  of  the  city,  engineering  plans, 
copies  of  old  maps,  etc. 

OFFICE  OF  THE  CHIEF  OF  ORDNANCE. 

In  1794  (1  Stat.  L.  352)  an  officer  was  appointed  to  superintend, 
under  the  War  Department,  "  the  receiving,  safe-keeping,  and  distri- 
bution of  the  military  stores  of  the  United  States  ",  and  in  the  following 


OFFICE    OF   THE    CHIEF   OF   ORDNANCE.  103 

year  (1  Stat.  L.  419)  a  "  purveyor  of  public  supplies  "  was  appointed 
in  the  Treasury  Department_,  whose  duty  it  was  "  to  conduct  the  pro- 
curing and  providing  of  all  arms,  military  .  .  .  stores  .  .  .  and  gen- 
erally all  articles  of  supply  requisite  for  the  service  of  the  United 
States".  In  1812  the  Ordnance  Department  was  established  with  a 
Commissary-General  of  Ordnance  at  its  head  (2  Stat.  L.  732)  ;  in 
1821  it  was  merged  in  the  artillery  (3  Stat.  L.  615)  ;  in  1832  however 
(4  Stat.  L.  504)  it  was  reestablished  as  an  independent  bureau.  The 
duties  of  the  department  consist  in  procuring  and  distributing  the 
necessary  ordnance  and  ordnance  supplies  for  the  government  and  in 
establishing  and  maintaining  arsenals  and  depots  for  their  manufacture 
and  safe-keeping.  For  its  history  and  duties  see  Military  Laws  of 
the  United  States,  1901  (pp.  458-459),  "Legislative  History  of  the 
General  Staff"  (pp.  533-534),  Army  Regulations,  1901  (§§  1694 
ff.),  Hammersly's  "Army  Register,  1779-1879"  (pp.  302-308),  T. 
T.  S.  Laidley's  "History  of  the  Ordnance  Department"  (1874),  and 
"  The  Ordnance  Department  as  a  Portion  of  the  United  States  Military 
Establishment"  (Washington,  1876).  The  work  of  the  department  is 
described  in  full  in  the  annual  reports  of  the  Chief  of  Ordnance,  and 
it  is  probable  that  the  larger  part  of  the  material  of  any  historical 
value  on  file  in  the  office  is  printed  in  "  Ordnance  Reports  ",  a  com- 
pilation with  the  full  title  of  "  A  Collection  of  Annual  Reports  and 
Other  Important  Papers  relating  to  the  Ordnance  Department,  taken 
from  the  Records  of  the  Office  of  the  Chief  of  Ordnance,  from  Public 
Documents,  and  from  Other  Sources "  (4  vols.,  covering  the  years 
1812-1889,  Washington,  1878-1890).  Finally  there  is  to  be  found 
in  the  office  a  collection  of  all  documents  relating  to  the  Ordnance 
Department,  since  1823;  this  includes  the  publications  of  the  Ordnance 
Department,  which  are  in  two  series,  "  Ordnance  Memoranda  "  (Nos. 
1-23,  1863-1878)  and  "Ordnance  Notes"  (Nos.  1-357,  1873-1884); 
a  complete  list  of  the  latter  is  in  "  Subject  Catalogue  No.  2  ",  War 
Department  Library. 

The  records  and  files  of  this  office  have  comparatively  little  general 
interest,  being  largely  technical  in  character;  they  consist  of  corre- 
spondence and  accounts.  Letters  received  are  reported  to  be  on  file 
from  December  5,  1797,  and  the  copies  of  letters  sent  are  to  be  found 
in  about  1,500  letter-books  from  1812.  The  records  of  correspondence 
are  in  various  series,  as  letters  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  commencing 
August  8,  1812;  miscellaneous  letters,  beginning  August  4,  1812;  let- 
ters to  ordnance  officers  and  establishments,  commencing  March  8, 
1839;  registers  of  letters  received,  commencing  June  1,  1817;  records 


104  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

of  orders  for  supplies  sent  to  the  various  ordnance  establishments, 
March  29,  1819,  as  well  as  indexes  to  correspondence,  etc.  The  earli- 
est accounts  commence  on  December  1,  1812;  this  class  of  records  is 
arranged  in  different  series,  commencing  at  different  times;  they  relate 
to  appropriations,  remittances,  estimates,  contracts,  claims,  sales,  stores 
lost,  disbursements  at  arsenals,  etc. 

The  earlier  files  are  inaccessible  at  present,  being  badly  crowded, 
and  not  arranged  for  use.  Lists  of  useless  papers  are  contained  in 
H.  Ex.  Doc.  197,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.,  and  H.  Doc.  582,  57  Cong.,  1 
sess. 

OFFICE    OF    THE    CHIEF    SIGNAL   OFFICER. 

The  office  of  Signal  Officer  of  the  Army  was  created  in  1860  (12 
Stat.  L.  64),  and  the  Signal  Corps,  with  a  Chief  Signal  Officer  at  its 
head,  was  established  in  1863  (12  Stat.  L.  744).  In  1870  the  duties 
of  what  is  now  the  Weather  Bureau  were  added  to  those  of  military 
signaling  (16  Stat.  L.  369),  but  in  1890  they  were  transferred  to  the 
Department  of  Agriculture  (26  Stat.  L.  653).  The  Chief  Signal 
Officer  is  charged  "  with  the  construction,  repair,  and  operation  of 
military  telegraph  lines  and  cables,  field  telegraph  trains,  and  electrical 
communications  for  fire-control  purposes;  with  the  preparation,  distri- 
bution, and  revision  of  the  War  Department  telegraphic  code;  with  the 
supervision  of  instruction  in  military  signaling  and  telegraphing  .  .  .  ; 
with  the  procurement,  preservation  and  distribution  of  the  necessary 
supplies  for  the  Signal  Corps  and  for  the  lake  and  sea-coast  defenses. 
He  has  charge  of  all  military  signal  duties,  and  of  books,  papers,  and 
devices  connected  therewith,  including  telegraph  and  telephone  appar- 
atus and  the  necessary  meteorological  instruments  for  target  ranges 
and  other  military  uses ;  of  collecting  and  transmitting  information  for 
the  Army,  by  telegraph  or  otherwise,  and  all  other  duties  pertaining 
to  military  signaling"  (Army  Regulations,  1901,  §  1741).  Accounts 
of  the  history  of  the  Signal  Corps  and  of  its  duties,  and  of  the 
legislation  relating  thereto,  are  to  be  found  in  Military  Laws  of  the 
United  States,  1901  (pp.  460-465);  "Legislative  History  of  the 
General  Staff"  (pp.  611-627)  ;  and  in  an  article  by  Lieutenant  W.  A. 
Glassford  entitled  "  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Signal  Corps  United 
States  Army  "  in  the  "  Journal  of  the  Military  Service  Institution  " 
(1891). 

The  work  of  the  Signal  Corps  from  year  to  year  is  fully  described 
in  the  annual  reports  of  the  Chief  Signal  Officer.  In  the  annual  report 
for  1891  (pp.  389  ff.)  is  a  list  of  the  "  publications  of  the  U.  S.  Signal 


BUREAU   OF   INSULAR   AFFAIRS,  105 

Service  from  1861  to  July  1,  1891  ".  Most  of  the  publications,  how- 
ever, relate  to  the  meteorological  work  of  the  Service  rather  than  to 
its  military  operations. 

The  records  of  the  Office  of  the  Chief  Signal  Officer  are  of  little 
value  historically.  The  important  documents  relating  to  the  operations 
of  the  Signal  Corps  during  the  Civil  War  are  printed  in  the  "  Official 
Records  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  ".  Upon  the  organization  of 
the  Weather  Bureau  in  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  in  1891,  all 
the  meteorological  records  were  transferred  to  that  bureau.  For  lists 
of  papers  destroyed  as  valueless  see  H.  Ex.  Doc.  197,  51  Cong.,  1 
sess.,  and  H.  Doc.  582,  57  Cong.,  1  ;5ess. 

BUREAU   OF    INSULAR   AFFAIRS. 

In  December,  1898,  a  Division  of  Customs  and  Insular  Affairs  was 
established  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  War  for  the  conduct  of  all 
business  relating  to  the  civil  (as  distinguished  from  purely  military) 
phases  of  government  in  Cuba,  Porto  Rico,  and  the  Philippines;  in 
December,  1 900,  the  designation  of  the  division  was  changed  by  depart- 
ment orders  to  that  of  Division  of  Insular  Affairs,  and  the  following 
year,  by  act  of  July  1,  1902,  the  office  was  established  as  the  Bureau  of 
Insular  Affairs,  thus  becoming  a  regular  War  Department  bureau. 
In  the  annual  report  of  the  chief  of  the  Division  of  Insular  Affairs 
for  1901  (Appendix  G)  is  an  account  of  the  beginnings  of  the  bureau, 
while  in  that  report  and  in  the  bureau  reports  for  1902  and  1903  is 
much  information  relating  to  its  organization  and  working. 

The  original  material  on  file  in  this  bureau,  consisting  of  correspond- 
ence and  regular  governmental  records,  is  of  great  interest  for  its 
bearing  upon  the  establishment  of  civil  government  by  military  authori- 
ties. Much  of  the  summarized  information  to  be  obtained  from  it,  as 
well  as  many  of  the  original  documents  themselves,  have  been  published 
by  Congress  or  by  the  executive  departments.  A  list  of  such  publi- 
cations relating  to  the  Philippines  is  to  be  found  in  the  "  Bibliography 
of  the  Philippine  Islands "  (S.  Doc.  74,  57  Cong.,  2  sess.)  under 
heads  "  United  States  Government  Documents  ",  "  Congressional  Docu- 
ments ",  and  "  Consular  Reports  ".  The  bureau  has  made  a  special 
effort  to  collect  all  publications  of  the  home  and  insular  governments 
and  has  succeeded  in  procuring  about  6,000  such  documents,  which  have 
been  bound  into  about  200  volumes  and  thoroughly  indexed.  It  is 
expected  that  this  index  will  be  printed  by  Congress,  thus  making 
easily  available  all  this  important  class  of  material.     The  annual  re- 


106  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

ports  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  with  their  appendixes,  as  well  as  the 
reports  of  the  bureau,  contain  a  great  deal  of  information  as  well  as 
many  documents  from  the  files  of  the  bureau. 

I.  Reports  of  the  Law  Officer. 
The  law  officer  of  the  Bureau  of  Insular  Affairs  investigates  and 
reports  upon  all  questions  of  law  arising  in  the  administration  of  civil 
affairs  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  War  Department.  Many  of  these 
questions  relate  to  subjects  of  great  importance,  such  as  the  law  of 
military  occupation,  the  status  of  the  acquired  territories,  the  status  of 
Spanish  law,  rights  of  individuals  and  communities,  claims  against  the 
United  States,  etc.  (see  Appendix  A  of  the  annual  report  of  the  chief 
of  the  Bureau  of  Insular  Affairs  for  1901,  in  which  the  duties  of  the 
law  officer  are  given  in  detail,  and  a  list  of  titles  of  reports  submitted 
shows  more  fully  their  scope  and  character;  the  annual  report  for  1903 
also  contains  a  detailed  account  of  the  work  of  the  law  officer).  These 
reports  are  considered  confidential,  but  a  number  of  the  more  important 
and  representative  ones  have  been  published  by  the  War  Department: 
"  Reports  on  the  Law  of  Civil  Government  in  Territory  subj  ect  to  Mili- 
tary Occupation  by  the  Military  Forces  of  the  United  States  ",  by 
Charles  E.  Magoon   (1902). 

II.      CoRRESPOKDESrCE    AND    GeXERAL    ReCORDS. 

The  Records  Division  files  and  makes  a  record  of  all  correspondence, 
reports,  orders,  circulars,  and  other  papers  relating  to  the  civil  govern- 
ment of  the  islands.  The  correspondence  constitutes  the  most  impor- 
tant class  of  unprinted  material  in  this  division ;  it  dates  from  the  latter 
part  of  1898  and  fills  about  450  file-boxes.  Letters  received  and  letters 
sent  are  filed  together  in  a  single  numerical  series,  but  there  is  also  a 
separate  series  of  press  copies  of  letters  sent,  bound  in  chronological 
order  in  volumes.  The  correspondence,  together  with  the  other  mate- 
rial on  file,  is  indexed  so  completely  that  not  only  can  any  particular 
letter  be  located  at  once,  but  all  letters  and  papers  bearing  on  any 
particular  subject  can  readily  be  found.  The  correspondence  is  be- 
tween the  bureau  and  officers  of  the  home  and  island  governments, 
congressmen,  and  the  general  public.  It  relates  to  a  great  variety  of 
subjects,  such  as  customs  tariffs  and  regulations,  navigation,  foreign 
and  coastwise  trade,  emigration  and  Chinese  exclusion,  local  govern- 
ments, courts,  laws,  extradition,  education  and  establishment  of  schools, 
public  lands,  land  titles,  mines,  forestry,  franchises  and  concessions, 
claims,  patents   and  trade-marks,  banks,  currency,   depositories,   rail- 


BUREAU   OF   INSULAR   AFFAIRS.  107 

roads,  insular  accounts,  etc.  (see  Appendixes  B  and  C  of  the  annual 
report  for  1901  for  a  more  detailed  account  of  the  various  kinds  of 
correspondence  and  of  the  methods  of  recording  and  indexing). 

III.      ACCOUXTS. 

The  Bureau  of  Insular  Affairs  has  charge  of  all  the  accounts  of 
receipts  and  expenditures  of  the  government  of  intervention  in  Cuba, 
of  the  military  government  of  Porto  Rico,  and  of  the  government  of 
the  Philippines.  Detailed  statements  of  the  receipts  and  expenditures 
of  the  military  government  in  Cuba  to  June  30,  1900,  are  printed  as 
Senate  Documents  177,  56  Cong.,  1  sess.,  and  448,  57  Cong.,  1  sess. 
Similar  statements  covering  the  period  from  July  1,  1900,  to  the  close 
of  the  American  occupation  have  been  prepared  and  will  doubtless  be 
printed  by  Congress.  The  receipts  and  expenditures  of  the  civil  gov- 
ernment in  the  Philippines  to  June  30,  1901,  are  stated  in  Senate 
Document  382,  57  Cong.,  1  sess.  For  fuller  descriptions  of  these 
accounts  and  of  the  system  of  accounting,  the  annual  reports  of  the 
bureau  for  1901  (Appendix  D),for  1902  (under  "Insular  Accounts"), 
and  for  1903  (under  "  Receipts  and  Expenditures  of  the  Philippine 
Islands  "  and  "  The  Late  Military  Government  of  Cuba  ")  may  be 
referred  to. 

IV.     Philippike  Insubgent  Records. 

The  records  of  the  Philippine  insurgent  government,  which  were 
captured  in  various  parts  of  the  archipelago,  were  originally  filed  in 
the  Division  of  Military  Information,  Headquarters,  Division  of  the 
Philippines,  in  obedience  to  orders  that  all  captured  documents  should 
be  sent  to  that  division.  After  the  close  of  the  insurrection  they  were 
sent  to  Washington  and  delivered  to  the  Bureau  of  Insular  Affairs. 
These  papers  are  about  200,000  in  number,  and  weigh  three  tons ;  they 
vary  from  mere  scraps  of  torn  paper  to  entire  volumes,  and  are  for  the 
larger  part  in  Spanish,  though  there  are  many  in  Tagalog  and  other 
Philippine  and  eastern  languages.  They  cover  the  period  of  the  insur- 
rection from  1896  to  1901  and  consist  of  correspondence,  treasury 
books,  records  of  proceedings  of  various  bodies,  records  of  municipali- 
ties, decrees  and  correspondence  of  the  dictatorial  and  presidential 
governments,  of  provincial  and  municipal  authorities,  of  the  Hongkong 
junta,  of  the  president  and  council  of  government,  of  the  secretaries 
of  the  Treasury,  Interior,  and  War,  and  papers  dealing  with  the  rela- 
tions with  the  Spanish  authorities.  These  documents  constitute  the  only 
original  source  of  information  relating  to  the  history  of  the  insurgent 
government,  and  the  value  of  the  collection  as  such  is  necessarily  very 


108  DEPARTMENT   OF    WAR. 

great.  It  is  reported  however  by  the  officer  in  charge  of  indexing  and 
arranging  these  papers  that  by  far  the  larger  part  (121^096  docu- 
ments) are  of  no  value,  being  "  merely  personal  or  routine  correspond- 
ence, or  the  routine  papers  of  municipalities  ".  These  papers  of  little 
or  no  value  have  been  arranged  by  subjects  in  428  bundles.  The 
remaining  12,204  documents  have  been  arranged  and  filed  in  2,034 
folders  in  such  a  way  as  to  insure  their  preservation,  and  have  been 
carefully  indexed,  while,  in  the  case  of  the  more  important  ones,  trans- 
lations have  been  filed  with  the  original  documents.  There  are  further 
129  volumes  of  letter-books,  treasury  books,  records  of  proceedings, 
etc.,  which  have  also  been  indexed. 

At  present  these  records  are  not  open  to  investigators,  but  the  im- 
portant ones  are  being  prepared  for  publication  by  Captain  J.  R.  M. 
Taylor,  who  has  been  in  charge  of  the  collection  from  the  beginning, 
and  who  has  supervised  its  arrangement  and  indexing.  The  proposed 
plan  of  publication  is  submitted  in  the  annual  report  of  the  bureau  for 
1903,  under  the  heading  **  Captured  Philippine  Insurgent  Documents  ". 

V.  Records  of  the  Occupation  of  Cuba. 
The  complete  records  of  the  American  occupation  of  Cuba  are  in 
the  custody  of  the  Bureau  of  Insular  Affairs.  They  comprise  the 
accounts  of  all  receipts  and  expenditures  mentioned  above,  and  the 
other  original  papers  of  all  kinds,  such  as  executive  orders,  reports, 
customs  entries,  etc.,  relating  to  the  administration  of  the  government 
of  intervention.  They  have  been  classified  and  arranged  for  purposes 
of  reference,  are  stored  in  a  fire-proof  building,  and  are  thought  to 
have  an  aggregate  weight  of  about  110  tons. 


DEPARTMENT   OF   JUSTICE.  109 


DEPARTMENT    OF   JUSTICE. 

The  office  of  Attorney-General  was  established  in  1789  (1  Stat.  L. 
93).  In  1870  the  Department  of  Justice  was  created,  having  as  its 
head  the  Attorney-General,  and  containing  the  newly-created  office  of 
Solicitor-General,  the  offices  of  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury  and  Solicitor 
of  Internal  Revenue,  transferred  from  the  Treasury  Department;  the 
office  of  Examiner  of  Claims,  transferred  from  the  State  Department; 
and  the  office  of  Naval  Solicitor,  transferred  from  the  Navy  Depart- 
ment (16  Stat.  L.  162).  In  1878  the  office  of  Naval  Solicitor  was 
abolished  (20  Stat.  L.  205).  An  excellent  account  of  the  history  and 
duties  of  the  Department  of  Justice,  containing  considerable  informa- 
tion relative  to  its  records,  is  contained  in  "  The  Department  of  Justice: 
its  History  and  Functions  ",  by  James  S.  Easby-Smith  (Washington, 
1904).  Part  III  of  the  "  Cockrell  Report"  (Sen.  Rept.  507,  50 
Cong.,  1  sess.)  contains  a  very  detailed  account  of  the  methods  of 
business  in  the  department,  which,  for  the  light  it  throws  on  the  kinds 
of  records  and  the  methods  of  filing  and  indexing  them,  is  of  value  at 
the  present  time,  although  the  organization  of  the  department  has 
undergone  some  few  changes  since  the  date  of  that  report. 

The  records  and  files  of  the  Department  of  Justice  are  complete 
from  the  date  of  its  establishment,  July  1,  1870,  but  those  of  the 
Attorney-General's  office  prior  to  1870  are  very  incomplete  and  do  not 
antedate  1809,  and  there  appears  to  have  been  no  systematic  attempt 
to  preserve  the  files  of  the  office  until  1817.  The  Attorneys-General 
prior  to  that  date  are  said  to  have  regarded  their  papers  as  personal 
property  and  to  have  taken  them  with  them  on  retiring  from  office. 
The  extent  of  the  files  is  not  very  great  and  the  excellent  method  of 
arrangement  and  indexing  makes  those  since  1870  perfectly  accessible. 
The  opinions  of  the  Attorneys-General,  which  constitute  an  important 
part  of  the  files,  are  printed  in  "  Official  Opinions  of  the  Attorneys- 
General  of  the  United  States  ",  while  the  annual  reports  of  the  Attor- 
ney-General, published  from  1870  to  date,  serve  to  indicate  the  im- 
portant cases,  etc.,  relating  to  which  material  is  on  file.  In  S.  Ex. 
Doc.  109,  47  Cong.,  1  sess.,  is  a  list  of  the  publications  of  the  Attorney- 
General's  office  and  of  the  Department  of  Justice  from  1789  to  1881. 
Access  to  the  records  of  the  department  can  be  had  only  on  application 
to  the  Attorney-General. 


110  DEPARTMENT   OF   JUSTICE. 

OFFICE    OF    CHIEF    CLERK. 
I.     Files  of  the  Attorstey-General's  Office  prior  to  1870. 

1.  Papers  Received,  1809-1870  (86  file-boxes). 

The  old  files  of  the  Attorney-General's  office  prior  to  1870  are,  as 
has  been  said  above,  very  incomplete.  As  late  as  1885  they  were 
wholly  unarranged  (annual  report  of  Attorney-General,  1885,  p.  36), 
but  since  then  they  have  been  arranged  by  years  and  the  papers  re- 
ceived are  contained  in  some  eighty-six  file-boxes.  They  cover  the 
years  1809  to  1870,  but  there  are  only  two  file-boxes  of  papers  of 
earlier  date  than  1830.  Among  these  files  may  be  noted,  as  illustra- 
tive of  their  character:  papers  relating  to  the  cases  of  United  States 
vs.  Brigantine  Mars,  1809;  of  Florde  Guadiano  vs.  United  States, 
1813;  of  H.  G.  Campbell  vs.  the  Mabel  and  Cargo,  1814;  of  Ship 
Fanny,  1814;  of  the  Spanish  brig  General  Blake  vs.  United  States, 
1814;  a  copy  of  the  bill  of  sale  of  the  British  squadron  captured  on 
Lake  Champlain,  September  11,  1814;  a  partial  list  of  abandoned 
lands  in  North  Carolina,  1865;  a  resolution  of  loyal  citizens  in  Mobile 
in  regard  to  relations  with  the  United  States,  1865;  a  letter  from 
General  Reynolds  relative  to  the  pardoning  of  Arkansas  "  rebels  ", 
1865;  and  papers  relating  to  customs  cases,  naturalization,  Indian 
treaties,  etc. 

2.  Letter-Boohs  and  Opinions,  1817-1870. 

These  large  ledger  volumes  contain  copies  of  letters  sent  and  of 
opinions.  There  appear  to  be  no  books  prior  to  1817.  There  is  no 
fixed  arrangement  of  the  books  or  of  their  contents.  Frequently  opin- 
ions and  letters  are  found  in  the  same  volume,  although  a  series  of 
sixteen  volumes  of  opinions  is  to  be  found.  It  is  impossible  to  ascer- 
tain how  complete  these  records  are,  and  it  is  said  that  some  files  and 
records  of  this  earlier  period  are  stored  in  boxes  in  the  basement  of 
the  Court  of  Claims. 

II.  General  Files  of  the  Department  of  Justice. 
The  general  files  of  the  Department  of  Justice  are  complete  since 
1870;  they  consist  of  letters  and  papers  received  and  of  copies  of  let- 
ters sent  and  opinions,  and  they  cover  the  matters  requiring  the  chief 
attention  of  the  Attorney-General.  The  best  illustrations  of  the 
character  of  this  material  are  found  in  the  "  Appendix  to  the  Annual 
Report  of  the  Attorney-General  for  1896  ",  where  is  printed  the  cor- 
respondence of  the  department  relating  to  the  labor  troubles  of  1894. 


OFFICE    OF   THE   APPOINTMENT   CLERK.  m 

The  papers  and  communications  received  prior  to  1884  are  filed  by 
states ;  since  that  date  they  have  been  filed  in  accordance  with  a  numer- 
ical system.  For  a  detailed  account  of  the  present  method  of  filing 
and  indexing  see  the  "  Cockrell  Report  ". 

The  letters  received  are  indexed  under  a  threefold  classification:  (1) 
United  States  Attorneys  and  Marshals;  (2)  Executive  Departments; 
(3)  Miscellaneous.  The  letters  sent  are  indexed  under  a  sixfold 
classification:  (1)  United  States  Attorneys  and  Marshals;  (2)  Execu- 
tive Departments;  (3)  General  Opinions;  (4)  Opinions  on  Titles  and 
Sites  for  Public  Buildings;  (5)  Judges  and  Clerks;  (6)  Miscellaneous. 

OFFICE    OF    THE    ATTORNEY    IN    CHARGE    OF    PARDONS. 

The  records  of  all  executive  pardons  from  1852  to  date  (except 
pardons  in  the  Army  and  Navy,  which  are  recorded  in  the  War  and 
Navy  Departments)  are  on  file  in  the  office  of  the  Pardon- Attorney. 
Records  of  pardons  prior  to  1852  are  preserved  in  the  State  Depart- 
ment, Bureau  of  Appointments.  The  papers  are  arranged  by  indi- 
vidual cases  and  consist  of  reports  of  district  attorneys,  trial  judges, 
and  all  other  persons  having  official  knowledge  of  the  case;  briefs  and 
opinions  of  the  Attorney-General;  correspondence  with  the  President, 
record  of  executive  action,  and,  since  1893,  copies  of  the  warrants. 
Since  1885  the  annual  reports  of  the  Attorney-General  have  contained 
lists  of  all  persons  who  have  been  granted  pardons  or  whose  sentences 
have  been  commuted  during  the  respective  years,  together  with  state- 
ments of  crimes  for  which  convictions  were  secured,  dates  of  sentences 
and  pardons,  and  statements  of  sentences  and  of  grounds  for  exercis- 
ing clemency.  Most  of  these  papers  are  of  personal  interest  only,  but 
some,  such  as  those  connected  with  the  Amnesty  Cases  during  the  Civil 
War,  are  of  more  general  interest.  In  general  these  papers  are  con- 
fidential, but  investigation  of  not  too  recent  cases  for  purely  historical 
purposes  would  probably  be  permitted.  The  files  are  admirably  ar- 
ranged and  indexed. 

OFFICE    OF    THE    APPOINTMENT   CLERK. 

The  files  of  the  Office  of  the  Appointment  Clerk  consist  of  applica- 
tions for  appointments  to  the  following  offices  (about  1,533  in  num- 
ber), together  with  indorsements,  recommendations,  correspondence, 
and  other  papers  relating  thereto :  United  States  Supreme  Court,  Court 
of  Claims,  Courts  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  including  justices  of  the 
peace.  Court  of  Private  Land  Claims,  Choctaw  and  Chickasaw  Citizen- 


112  DEPARTMENT   OF   JUSTICE. 

ship  Court,  Circuit  Judges,  District  Judges,  Territorial  Judges,  Dis- 
trict Attorneys,  United  States  Marshals,  Officials  of  the  Department  in 
Washington,  Commissioners  of  Deeds  of  the  District  of  Columbia, 
Notaries  Public  in  District  of  Columbia,  Trustees  of  Reform  Schools  in 
District  of  Columbia,  Official  and  Clerical  Force  of  the  Department 
in  Washington,  United  States  Penitentiary  at  Atlanta,  United  States 
Penitentiary  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  Assistant  District  Attorneys,  Special 
Assistant  Attorneys. 

Much  of  the  correspondence,  especially  that  with  the  President, 
should  be  of  general  interest,  particularly  in  cases  of  appointments  to 
the  higher  offices ;  but  the  larger  part  of  the  papers  have  probably  only 
a  personal  interest.  These  records  are  regarded  as  confidential,  but 
it  is  probable  that  use  of  the  earlier  ones  would  be  permitted  for  his- 
torical purposes. 

The  files  prior  to  1884  are  practically  inaccessible,  being  stored  in 
boxes  in  the  Court  of  Claims  building.  Nothing  about  their  condition 
or  arrangement  was  known  in  the  office  of  the  Appointment  Clerk. 
The  files  from  1884  to  1901  are  arranged  in  bundles  by  administrations 
and  states,  and  alphabetically  by  the  names  of  applicants.  Those  from 
1901  to  date  are  preserved  in  file-cases  arranged  by  states  and  can  be 
readily  referred  to. 

SOLICITOR   OF    THE    TREASURY. 

In  1820  the  office  of  Agent  of  the  Treasury  was  created,  the  func- 
tion of  which  was  to  direct  all  proceedings  for  the  recovery  of  money 
or  other  property  due  the  United  States  (3  Stat.  L.  592).  In  1830 
this  office  was  abolished  and  that  of  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury,  with 
somewhat  enlarged  powers  and  duties,  created  (4  Stat.  L.  414),  which 
in  1870  was  transferred  to  the  newly-created  Department  of  Justice 
(16  Stat.  L.  162).  The  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury  is  the  law  officer 
of  the  Treasury  Department,  and  as  such  renders  opinions  on  various 
questions  arising  in  the  administration  of  the  department:  he  takes 
cognizance  of  all  frauds  committed  or  attempted  on  the  customs  rev- 
enue, supervises  suits  for  the  collection  of  money  due  the  United  States, 
except  that  due  under  the  internal-revenue  laws,  and  suits  in  which 
the  United  States  is  a  party  that  arise  out  of  the  laws  relative  to 
national  banking  associations. 

The  files  of  the  office  consist  largely  of  papers  relative  to  suits. 
These  papers  are  docketed  under  six  headings  as  follows:  1.  Suits  on 
transcripts  of  accounts  of  defaulting  public  officers,  excepting  those  of 


OFFICE    OF   THE   ASSISTANT  ATTORNEY-GENERAL.       II3 

the  Post-Office  Department,  adjusted  by  the  accounting  officers  of  the 
Treasury  Department.  2.  Post-office  suits,  embracing  those  against 
officers  of  the  Post-Office  Department,  and  cases  of  fines,  penalties, 
and  forfeitures  for  violation  of  postal  laws.  3.  Suits  on  custom-house 
bonds.  4.  Suits  for  recovery  of  fines,  penalties,  and  forfeitures  under 
the  customs-revenue  and  navigation  laws.  5.  Suits  against  collectors 
of  customs  and  other  officers  and  agents  of  the  government,  excepting 
internal-revenue  officers,  for  refund  of  duties,  and  acts  done  in  the  line 
of  their  official  duty,  including  appeals  from  the  decisions  of  the  Board 
of  General  Appraisers.  6.  Suits  in  which  the  United  States  is  a  party 
or  is  interested  and  not  embraced  in  the  other  classes.  There  are  also 
papers  relating  to  suits  that  are  compromised  before  reaching  court. 
The  files  commence  in  1830,  although  it  is  said  that  there  are  a  few 
papers  of  earlier  date  and  some  even  as  early  as  1814.  Much  of  the 
material  contained  in  these  files  should  be  found  in  the  reports  and 
records  of  the  courts  where  suits  have  been  brought.  Since  1880  the 
annual  reports  of  the  Attorney-General  have  contained  tables  showing 
the  amount,  character,  and  results  of  the  litigation  carried  on  by  the 
office. 

OFFICE  OF  THE  ASSISTANT  ATTORNEY-GENERAL  IN  CHARGE 

OF  CASES  BEFORE  THE  COURT  OF  CLAIMS. 

OFFICE    OF    ASSISTANT   ATTORNEY-GENERAL   IN    CHARGE    OF 

INDIAN  DEPREDATION  CASES. 

The  Department  of  Justice  is  charged  with  the  defense  of  all  suits 
against  the  United  States  in  the  Court  of  Claims.  These  are  of  the 
following  kinds:  (1)  General  jurisdiction  cases;  (2)  Congressional 
cases,  i.  e.,  those  under  the  acts  of  March  3,  1883,  and  March  3,  1887; 
(3)  Departmental  cases,  i.  e.,  those  referred  to  the  Court  of  Claims  by 
the  executive  departments  under  the  act  of  March  3,  1883;  (4)  Cases 
against  the  District  of  Columbia,  acts  of  June  16,  1880,  and  February 
13,  1895;  (5)  French  spoliation  cases,  act  of  January  20,  1885;  (6) 
Naval  bounty  cases,  arising  out  of  the  Spanish  War;  (7)  Indian 
depredation  cases,  act  of  March  3,  1891.  The  Assistant  Attorney- 
General  in  charge  of  Cases  before  the  Court  of  Claims  is  charged  with 
the  defense  of  all  suits  of  the  first  six  classes ;  the  Assistant  Attorney- 
General  in  charge  of  Indian  Depredation  Cases,  with  the  defense  of 
suits  of  the  last  class.  All  the  important  papers  connected  with  the 
various  cases  are  filed  in  the  Court  of  Claims  and  constitute  part  of 
the  records  of  that  court.  Only  two  general  classes  of  material,  both 
relatively  unimportant,  i.  e.,  correspondence  with  United  States  attor- 
9 


114  POST-OFFICE   DEPARTMENT. 

neys  in  the  field  and  their  reports,  remain  in  the  permanent  files  of 
these  two  offices.  All  cases  are  docketed,  thus  practically  duplicating 
the  dockets  of  the  Court  of  Claims.  Statements  of  the  state  of  litiga- 
tion are  to  be  found  in  the  annual  reports.  The  office  of  Assistant 
Attorney-General  in  charge  of  Indian  Depredation  Cases  was  estab- 
lished by  the  act  of  March  3,  1891  (26  Stat.  L.  854),  and  the  first 
three  reports  of  that  officer  give  lists  of  the  various  Indian  tribes  on 
account  of  whose  depredations  suits  were  brought. 


POST-OFFICE    DEPARTMENT. 

There  is  no  good  history  of  the  Post-Office  Department,  although 
two  sketchy  accounts  may  be  mentioned :  one,  by  C.  W.  Ernst,  appeared 
from  time  to  time  in  the  "  Journal  of  the  Postal  Union  "  in  1 895-1 89G 
(volumes  20  and  21)  ;  the  other,  by  D.  D.  T.  Leech  and  W.  L.  Nichol- 
son, is  a  small  pamphlet,  entitled  "  History  of  the  Post  Office  Depart- 
ment, 1789-1879  "  (Washington,  1879).  One  other  account,  though 
pertaining  to  but  one  branch  of  the  postal  service,  may  be  mentioned: 
the  "  History  of  the  Railway  Mail  Service  ",  prepared  in  the  office  of 
the  Superintendent  of  the  Railway  Mail  Service,  in  1885,  and  printed, 
together  with  many  illustrative  documents,  as  S.  Ex.  Doc.  40,  48  Cong., 
2  sess. 

The  Post-Office  Department  is  essentially  a  business  institution  and 
its  records  are  such  as  pertain  to  the  conduct  of  a  vast  business  rather 
than  historical  in  character.  They  are  not  without  historical  interest, 
however,  for  so  closely  has  the  postal  service  followed  the  development 
of  the  country  that  its  records  constitute  the  record  of  that  growth. 
Frequently  also  questions  of  considerable  general  interest  have  arisen  in 
connection  with  the  service;  in  the  early  part  of  the  last  century,  for 
example,  the  question  as  to  whether  mails  should  be  carried  on  Sunday 
was  a  much-discussed  one,  and  the  records  of  the  department  form  the 
principal  source  of  information  in  regard  to  that  phase  of  social  his- 
tory. Much  the  same  might  be  said  in  regard  to  the  suppression  of 
the  Louisiana  Lottery,  the  use  of  the  mails  at  the  time  of  the  Civil 
War,  and  other  similar  matters.  The  archives  of  the  department  are 
practically  complete  since  1789;  they  appear  to  have  suffered  from 
fire  but  once — in  December,  1836,  when  the  files  of  the  Appointment 
Division,  relating  to  the  establishment  of  post-offices  and  the  appoint- 


OFFICE    OF   THE   POSTMASTEE-GENEBAL.  II5 

ment  of  postmasters,  were  destroyed  (H.  Rept.  134,  24  Cong.,  2  sess.). 
Many  papers  regarded  as  useless  have,  however,  been  destroyed  by 
the  department  (see  17  Stat.  L.  313;  21  ibid.  412;  30  ibid.  444;  H. 
Doc.  700,  5G  Cong.,  1  sess.;  and  H.  Doc.  325,  56  Cong.,  2  sess.). 

The  department  is  organized  in  five  main  offices,  and  the  method  of 
keeping  the  files  varies  somewhat;  in  some  of  the  offices  they  are  kept 
in  a  separate  division,  in  others  they  are  scattered  about  among  the 
various  divisions.  Permission  to  work  in  the  archives  must  be  obtained 
from  the  Postmaster-General. 

Much  of  the  important  material,  especially  that  relating  to  the 
growth  of  the  service,  is  to  be  found  printed  in  the  congressional  docu- 
ments, and  in  the  volume  of  the  State  Papers  devoted  to  postal  affairs. 

OFFICE    OF   THE    POSTMASTER-GENERAL. 
The  records  of  the  Office  of  the  Postmaster-General  consist  of : 

1.  Letter-Books,  October  S,  1789,  to  date  (127  vols.). 

These  large  folio  volumes  contain  the  record  made  of  the  official 
correspondence  of  the  Postmasters-General. 

2.  Orders,  July  1,  1835,  to  date  (263  vols.). 

These  volumes  contain  the  orders  of  the  Postmasters-General  affect- 
ing all  branches  of  the  postal  service.  The  orders  prior  to  July  1, 
1835,  were  destroyed  in  the  fire  of  1836. 

3.  Hugh  Finlay's  Journal,  1773-177^. 

This  document  is  kept  in  the  library  of  the  Post-Office  Department. 
It  is  entitled  "  Journal  of  Hugh  Finlay,  Surveyor  of  the  Post  Roads 
on  the  Continent  of  North  America,  during  his  Survey  of  the  Post 
Office  between  Falmouth,  in  Casco  Bay,  in  the  Province  of  Massachu- 
setts, and  Savannah  in  Georgia,  begun  Sept.  13,  1773,  and  ended 
June  26,  1774",  and  contains  a  very  interesting  description  of  the 
post-roads  along  the  entire  Atlantic  coast. 

OFFICE    OF    THE    FIRST    ASSISTANT    POSTMASTER-GENERAL. 

The  files  of  the  First  Assistant  Postmaster-General  contain  practi- 
cally nothing  of  historical  value.  They  relate  to  salaries,  free  delivery, 
post-office  supplies,  money-order  business,  and  the  work  of  the  dead-f 
letter  office.  The  dead-letter  office  was  established  in  1825,  the  free- 
delivery  service  in  1863,  and  the  money-order  system  in  1864. 


116  POST-OFFICE   DEPARTMENT, 

OFFICE    OF   THE    SECOND    ASSISTANT   POSTMASTER-GENERAL. 

The  files  of  the  office  of  the  Second  Assistant  Postmaster-General 
relate  to  the  foreign  mail  service,  the  railway  mail  service,  and  to 
letting  contracts  for  carrying  the  mails.  All  of  the  files  except  those 
relating  to  the  railway  mail  service  are  kept  together.  The  foreign 
mail  service  was  established  about  1845,  and  the  railway  mail  service 
shortly  after  1835.  The  material  relating  to  post  routes  consists  of: 
(1)  Route  registers,  dating  from  1829;  (2)  Advertisements,  from 
1808;  (3)  Correspondence,  from  1845;  (4)  Contracts,  from  1816;  and 
(5)  the  Journal,  containing  the  orders  relating  to  routes,  signed  from 
day  to  day  by  the  Postmaster-General. 

OFFICE  OF  THE  THIRD  ASSISTANT  POSTMASTER-GENERAL. 

The  material  in  this  office  appears  to  have  no  possible  historical  value. 
It  relates  to  the  receipts  and  disbursements  of  the  department,  to 
stamps  (first  used  in  1847),  postal  cards,  stamped  envelopes,  etc.,  and 
to  the  registry  system,  put  into  operation  in  1855.  The  files  are  kept 
together  in  one  division  of  the  office  and  do  not  antedate  1847. 

OFFICE   OF   THE   FOURTH   ASSISTANT   POSTMASTER-GENERAL. 

The  only  records  in  this  office  of  possible  historical  value  are  those 
relating  to  the  establishment  of  post-offices  and  the  appointment  of 
postmasters,  and  of  these  all  the  original  papers  prior  to  1893  have 
been  destroyed:  the  earlier  ones  by  fire,  the  later  ones  under  authority 
from  Congress.  The  remaining  records  give  merely  the  names  of 
postmasters  and  post-offices,  with  dates  of  appointments,  discontinu- 
ances, removals,  etc. ;  they  are  complete  from  1 790  to  date.  The  other 
records  of  the  office  relate  to  the  filing  of  bonds  and  issuing  of  com- 
missions, and  to  the  work  of  the  post-office  inspectors.  This  last  class 
of  material  consists  of  the  reports  of  the  inspectors  on  depredations, 
frauds,  complaints,  irregularities,  etc.,  and  is  considered  confidential. 


NAVY   DEPARTMENT.  II7 


NAVY    DEPARTMENT. 


Naval  affairs  were  administered  by  the  War  Department  from  1789 
until  1798,  in  which  latter  year  the  Navy  Department  was  established 
(1  Stat.  L.  553).  From  1798  mitil  1815  practically  all  the  work  of 
the  department  was  directly  supervised  by  the  Secretary's  Office,  the 
correspondence  of  which  for  those  years  relates  to  all  matters  con- 
nected with  the  administration  of  the  Navy.  In  1815  a  board  of  three 
"  Navy  Commissioners  "  was  established  (3  Stat.  L.  202),  which  per- 
formed the  ministerial  duties  of  the  Office  of  the  Secretary  relating 
to  the  procurement  of  naval  stores  and  materials,  the  construction, 
armament,  equipment,  and  employment  of  vessels  of  war,  and  the 
superintendence  of  navy-yards.  The  records  and  correspondence  of 
this  board,  covering  the  twenty-seven  years  of  its  existence,  are  for  the 
most  part  contained  in  the  Bureau  of  Construction  and  Repair,  and 
supplement  the  records,  for  the  same  period,  of  the  Secretary's  Office. 

In  1842  the  board  was  abolished  and  its  place  was  taken  by  five 
bureaus:  Navy  Yards  and  Docks;  Construction,  Equipment,  and  Re- 
pairs; Provisions  and  Clothing;  Ordnance  and  Hydrography;  and 
Medicine  and  Surgery  (5  Stat.  L.  579).  In  1862  a  reorganization 
of  the  department  took  place,  and  since  that  date  there  have  been  eight 
bureaus:  Yards  and  Docks;  Equipment;  Navigation;  Ordnance;  Con- 
struction and  Repair;  Steam  Engineering;  Supplies  and  Accounts 
(formerly  Provisions  and  Clothing);  and  Medicine  and  Surgery  (12 
Stat.  L.  510).  To  these  should  be  added  the  offices  of  Judge- Advo- 
cate-General, first  established  in  1865  (18  Stat.  L.  468),  and  of  Naval 
War  Records,  created  in  1884  (23  Stat.  L.  185). 

There  is  no  history  of  the  Navy  Department  or  of  any  of  its  bureaus 
or  offices,  a  lack  strikingly  in  contrast  with  the  abundance  of  historical 
accounts  of  the  War  Department.  The  best  account  of  the  organiza- 
tion and  duties  of  the  various  bureaus  is  contained  in  Chapter  I  of  U. 
S.  Navy  Regulations,  while  the  "  Cockrell  Report "  (S.  Rept.  507,  pt.  3, 
50  Cong.,  1  sess.)  contains  much  detailed  information  relating  to  the 
methods  of  work  in  the  department  which,  because  of  the  few  changes 
since  1887,  applies  more  fully  to  present  conditions  than  in  the  cases 
of  the  other  departments. 

The  records  of  the  Navy  Department  are  in  an  excellent  state  of 
preservation;  the  earliest  begin  in  1794,  but  there  are  comparatively 
few  before  1804.     The  burning  of  the  War  Department  building  in 


118  NAVY   DEPARTMENT. 

1800  doubtless  caused  the  loss  of  some  of  the  earliest  files.  Since 
1804,  however,  the  records  are  practically  complete;  most  of  those  of 
earlier  date  than  1842  are  in  the  Naval  War  Records  Office,  in  the 
Bureau  of  Navigation,  and  in  the  Bureau  of  Construction  and  Repair; 
those  since  then  are  to  be  found  in  the  other  bureaus  as  well.  As  is 
evident  from  the  fuller  descriptions  below,  the  most  important  archives 
are  in  the  Office  of  Naval  War  Records,  which  contains  the  Secretary's 
correspondence  to  1884.  They  are  conveniently  arranged,  in  a  num- 
ber of  series,  and  are  readily  accessible.  The  general  character  of 
these  files  is  described  in  more  detail  below;  one  respect  in  which  they 
differ  from  those  of  other  departments  is  in  the  vast  amount  of  infor- 
mation they  contain  relating  to  affairs  abroad;  thus  in  a  certain  sense 
they  supplement  the  diplomatic  and  consular  archives  of  the  State 
Department.  They  also  contain  full  information  relating  to  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  Navy,  its  discipline,  the  movements  of  its  vessels 
and  squadrons,  etc.  With  the  exception  of  the  archives  of  the  Bureaus 
of  Navigation  and  of  Construction  and  Repair,  whose  records  are  de- 
scribed below,  the  files  of  the  various  bureaus  of  the  department  are 
technical  and  of  little  or  no  historical  value.  They  relate,  as  the 
names  of  the  bureaus  suggest,  to  the  equipment  of  vessels,  the  manage- 
ment of  yards  and  docks,  the  construction  and  testing  of  ordnance,  the 
supply  of  the  Navy  with  provisions,  clothing,  small  stores,  etc.  (Bureau 
of  Supplies  and  Accounts),  the  construction  and  installation  of  en- 
gines {Steam  Engineering),  and  the  health  of  the  officers  and  enlisted 
men  {Medicine  and  Surgery).  The  principal  description  yet  printed 
of  the  naval  archives  is  in  the  critical  essay  by  J.  R.  Soley,  in  Winsor's 
**  America  "  (VII,  414) ;  an  article  by  C.  H.  Lincoln  in  the  "  Literary 
Collector"  for  January,  1904,  on  "Naval  Manuscripts  in  National 
Archives  ",  deals  with  the  records  of  the  Navy  Department,  but  is 
more  particularly  concerned  with  the  Revolutionary  naval  records 
preserved  in  the  Library  of  Congress. 

Some  of  the  material  in  the  archives  of  the  department  is  in  print; 
all  papers  of  importance  relating  to  the  Civil  War  are  to  be  found  in 
the  "  Official  Records  of  the  Union  and  Confederate  Navies  ",  now  in 
process  of  publication.  The  records  of  the  War  of  1812  and  of  the 
Mexican  War  will  probably  be  published  in  the  near  future;  it  is  esti- 
mated that  such  a  publication  would  fill  about  four  volumes  for  each 
of  the  two  wars.  Much  naval  correspondence  has  already  been  printed 
in  the  congressional  documents;  particularly  is  this  true,  for  example, 
of  that  relating  to  the  operations  of  the  Pacific  squadrons  during  the 
Mexican  War.     In  the  annual  reports  of  the  Secretary  and  the  chiefs 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 

NAVAL    WAR    RECORDS    OFFICE. 119 

of  the  bureaus  are  full  accounts  of  the  operations  of  the  department 
from  year  to  year,  including  such  matters  as  construction  and  equip- 
ment of  ships,  movements  of  fleets  and  squadrons,  tests  of  ordnance, 
etc.  A  list  of  the  publications  of  the  department  to  1881  is  printed 
as  S.  Ex.  Doc.  37,  47  Cong.,  1  sess. 

For  access  to  the  archives  of  the  department  permission  must  be 
obtained  from  the  Secretary;  a  very  liberal  policy  toward  investiga- 
tion is  followed,  and  the  necessary  permission  is  freely  accorded  to 
accredited  persons  for  purposes  of  purely  historical  research. 

NAVAL   WAR   RECORDS   OFFICE. 

The  Naval  War  Records  Office  is  the  repository  for  the  correspond- 
ence of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  i.  e.,  the  records  of  the  Secretary's 
Office,  from  the  organization  of  the  department  in  1798  to  1884.  The 
Secretary's  correspondence  since  1884  is  still  kept  in  the  Secretary's 
Office  and  in  the  various  bureaus  of  the  department.  For  a  brief 
account  of  the  naval  archives,  see  the  critical  essay  by  J.  R.  Soley  in 
Winsor's  "America"  (VII,  414).  The  files  are  remarkably  complete, 
the  only  known  loss  being  that  suggested  by  Soley  in  the  essay  referred 
to,  when  the  burning  of  the  War  Office  in  November,  1800,  destroyed 
papers  relating  to  the  Navy.  In  1814,  however,  the  Secretary's  files 
escaped  unscathed  ("  American  State  Papers,  Miscellaneous ",  II, 
248)  ;  and  while  there  is  a  tradition  of  a  fire  in  the  Navy  Department 
in  1837  (Roosevelt,  "  Naval  War  of  1812  ",  preface),  the  absence  of 
contemporary  accounts  of  such  a  fire,  together  with  the  fact  that  the 
various  series  of  volumes  commencing  at  an  earlier  date  are  complete, 
would  seem  to  indicate  that  the  Secretary's  Office  suffered  little  if  any 
loss. 

The  records  of  the  Naval  War  Records  Office  are  preserved  in  bound 
volumes  and  arranged  by  series,  within  which,  for  the  most  part,  a 
chronological  arrangement  is  observed.  In  the  following  inventory  the 
classification  is  that  adopted  by  the  office,  with  two  exceptions:  (1) 
For  greater  clearness  the  different  series  have  been  grouped  under 
descriptive  headings.  (2)  In  the  office  the  volumes  containing  the  cor- 
respondence for  the  Civil  War  period,  1861-1865,  have  been  tem- 
porarily segregated  from  the  various  series  for  the  purpose  of  publish- 
ing the  "  Official  Records  of  the  Union  and  Confederate  Navies  in  the 
War  of  the  Rebellion  " ;  in  this  inventory  these  segregated  volumes, 
instead  of  being  listed  separately,  are  included  in  the  respective  series 
to  which  they  belong. 


120  NAVY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  indexing  of  the  files  of  this  office  is  of  comparatively  little  value 
to  the  student.  There  is  an  office  index,  and  in  addition  there  is,  in 
the  front  of  practically  each  volume,  an  index  to  the  names  of  the 
writers  or  recipients  of  the  letters  in  that  volume,  while  some  volumes 
contain  still  further  a  meager  subject-index.  The  only  safe  method 
for  the  investigator  to  use  in  searching  for  material  is  that  of  turning 
the  pages. 

As  has  been  stated,  the  Naval  War  Records  Office  is  engaged  in 
publishing  the  "  Official  Records  "  of  the  naval  operations  during  the 
Civil  War.  In  connection  with  this  work  the  office  has  gathered  to- 
gether all  the  available  material,  which  is  of  four  classes:  (1)  the 
files  of  the  Secretary's  correspondence,  mentioned  above;  (2)  the  files 
and  records  of  the  various  bureaus  of  the  department,  covering  the 
years  1861—1865  (these  papers  are  not  left  on  file  in  the  office,  but 
lists  of  them  have  been  made  and  are  preserved  there)  ;  (3)  war  charts, 
a  list  of  which  is  printed  as  "  Office  Memoranda  No.  5  ";  (4)  private 
papers  secured  as  loans  from  officers  of  the  Union  and  Confederate 
Navies,  or  from  their  families  (many  of  these  collections  have  been 
returned  to  their  owners,  but  information  as  to  their  character  and  loca- 
tion can  be  supplied  by  the  office).  Extended  descriptions  of  these 
different  classes  of  papers  are  unnecessary,  as  everything  of  importance 
in  them  is  to  be  found  in  the  "  Official  Records  ".  A  list  of  the  log- 
books belonging  to  the  Bureau  of  Navigation  and  covering  the  period 
of  the  war  is  printed  as  "  Office  Memoranda  No.  5  "  and  shows  this 
class  of  material  to  contain  about  1,600  books.  Lists  of  vessels  are 
included  in  the  "  Official  Records  "  as  well  as  in  the  Navy  Registers 
and  are  to  all  intents  and  purposes  lists  of  log-books  as  well.  A  list 
of  the  officers  whose  papers  were  secured  by  the  office,  together  with 
descriptive  notes  relating  to  the  more  important  collections,  supplied 
by  Mr.  Charles  W.  Stewart,  the  superintendent  of  the  Naval  War 
Records  Office,  is  given  below. 

I.    Correspondence  with  Naval  Officers. 
1.  Officers'  Letters,  1802-188Jf  (1428  vols.). 

Letters,  mostly  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  from  officers  of  all 
grades,  but  chiefly  of  the  lower  ones,  as  lieutenants,  surgeons,  midship- 
men, chaplains,  commanders,  gunners,  carpenters,  pursers,  engineers, 
professors  at  the  Naval  Academy,  mates,  etc.  The  letters  relate 
largely  to  personal  matters,  as  advances  of  pay,  furloughs,  reports  to 
duty,  transfers,  appointments,  and  requests  of  all  sorts.  Material  of 
historical  interest  is  rather  rare,  though  occasionally  some  is  found,  as 


NAVAL    WAR   RECORDS   OFFICE,  121 

some  letters  of  April,  1848,  relating  to  the  probable  annexation  of 
Yucatan;  requests  for  active  service  or  for  transfer  to  the  Gulf  Squad- 
ron in  1846,  etc.  Three  supplementary  volumes,  1839-1854,  appear 
to  be  filled  chiefly  with  letters  relating  to  disputes,  complaints,  accusa- 
tions, etc.,  although  such  material  is  to  be  found  quite  generally 
throughout  the  collection. 

2.  Letters  to  Officers  Commanding  Gunboats,  1803-1808  (1  vol.). 
These  letters  relate  for  the  most  part  to  details  of  construction,  to 

movements,  and  to  commands;  they  contain,  for  example,  the  instruc- 
tions in  accordance  with  which  the  first  gunboats  were  built. 

3.  Masters*  Letters,  1804.-1837  (60  vols.). 

These  letters  from  masters-commandant  relate  for  the  most  part  to 
details  of  routine  service,  personnel,  transfers,  furloughs,  promotions, 
construction,  etc.  They  contain,  however,  much  scattered  material  of 
real  historical  value;  and  J.  R.  Soley  (Winsor,  VII,  414)  regards  them 
as  among  the  most  important  of  the  "  letters  received  '*.  For  exam- 
ple, there  are  many  letters  of  1806-1807  from  naval  officers  stationed 
near  New  Orleans,  relating  to  Burr's  conspiracy,  as  well  as  many  inter- 
esting letters  bearing  on  the  War  oif  1812.  Cruises  of  the  "Wasp" 
and  the  capture  of  the  "  Frolic  "  are  described  in  letters  from  Lieuten- 
ant Jones,  and  considerable  light  is  thrown  on  the  naval  operations  on 
the  Lakes,  in  the  letters  from  O.  H.  Perry  and  Macdonough. 

Jf..  Captains'  Letters,  1805-1861,  1866-1884  (402  vols.). 

The  letters  from  1862  to  1866  are  with  Admirals'  Letters  (see  10, 
below).  J.  R.  Soley  (Winsor,  VII,  414)  regards  this  series  as  the 
most  important  of  the  "  letters  received  ".  Scattered  through  a  great 
mass  of  papers  relating  to  the  details  of  routine  service  are  many  let- 
ters of  the  greatest  value.  The  proportion  of  valuable  material  is  of 
course  greater  in  the  war  periods,  but  such  material  is  not  wanting  at 
other  times ;  for  example,  here  are  found  the  letter  apprising  the  Navy 
Department  of  the  Berlin  Decree,  and  a  request  for  authority  to  recap- 
ture vessels  from  French  ships.  The  material  bearing  on  the  War  of 
1812  is  very  valuable,  there  being  letters  from  Porter,  Hull,  Bain- 
bridge,  Rodgers,  and  others.  Information  relating  to  the  condition  of 
the  coast  defense  and  of  various  vessels,  as  well  as  to  the  situation  on 
the  Lakes,  is  to  be  found  in  abundance,  and  there  is  a  long  and  inter- 
esting description  of  the  cruise  of  the  "  Hornet "  off  the  South  Ameri- 
can coast.  There  are  also  plans  of  attacks,  reports  of  engagements  and 
of  depredations  by  the  enemy,  department  plans,  etc. 


122  NAVY   DEPARTMENT. 

6.  Letters  to  Officers  of  Ships  of  War,  I8O4.-I868  (84.  vols.). 

J.  R.  Soley  (Winsor,  VII^  414)  regards  this  series  as  one  of  the 
most  important  of  the  "  letters  sent  ",  so  far  as  naval  operations  are 
concerned.  Many  letters  relate  to  the  South  American  republics.  The 
instructions  in  the  war  periods  are  often  of  great  value. 

6.  Letters  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  1832-183S  (3  vols.). 
Letters  of  a  general  nature;  many  letters  concerning  vacancies  or  in 

reply  to  applications  for  office. 

7.  Commanders'  Letters,  1838-188^  (163   vols.). 

These  letters  from  commanders  are  regarded  by  J.  R.  Soley  (Win- 
sor,  VII,  414)  as  among  the  more  valuable  series  of  the  "letters 
received  ". 

8.  Admirals*  and  Commodores*  Letters,  I86I—I88J1.  (58  vols.). 
These  letters  from  admirals,  commodores,  and  captains  are  chiefly 

concerned  with  the  routine  of  administration,  but  occasionally  are  of 
importance  for  a  detailed  history  of  the  Navy. 

9.  Letters  to  Flag  Officers  and  Commandants  of  Squadrons  and  Sta- 

tions, 1861-1886  (9  vols.). 
These  contain  instructions  from  the  department,  and  relate  mainly 
to  details  of  duty  and  discipline,  but  sometimes  possess  more  general 
interest,  as,  for  example,  when  they  are  concerned  with  political  refu- 
gees, troubles  in  South  America,  etc. 

10.  Letters  to  Officers  Generally,  188^-1886  (3  vols.). 

Letters  from  the  department  to  officers  generally  (paymasters,  en- 
signs, lieutenants,  etc.)  relating  to  details  of  duty,  complaints,  etc. 
These  have  little  or  no  historical  interest. 

II.    Squadron  Letters. 
In  the  front  of  each  volume  of  the  Squadron  Letters,  through  1880, 
is  an  index  giving  name  and  subject  for  each  letter.     The  movements 
of  the  diiferent  squadrons   are   given  in  the   annual  reports   of  the 
department. 

1.  African  Squadron,  1819-1861   (IS  vols.). 

Much  valuable  material  relative  to  the  slave-trade,  especially  in  the 
earlier  period,  together  with  letters  relating  to  the  American  Coloniza- 
tion Society  and  to  the  Maryland  State  Colonization  Society,  is  to  be 
found. 


NAVAL    WAR   RECORDS    OFFICE.  123 

2.  China  Station,  I84.I-I8U  (1  vol). 

Commodore  L.  Kearney.  Printed  in  part  in  S.  Doc.  139,  29  Cong., 
1  sess.  See  Senate  resolution,  February  25,  1845,  calling  for  corre- 
spondence between  the  commander  of  the  East  India  Squadron  and 
foreign  powers  and  U.  S.  agents  abroad,  relating  to  trade  and  other 
interests  of  the  United  States. 

S.  Brazil  Squadron,  18U-1861  (17  vols,). 

These  letters  contain  much  information  about  affairs  in  Brazil  and 
South  America,  the  condition  of  American  citizens,  etc.  The  letters 
for  1858—1859  are  bound  with  those  relating  to  the  Paraguay  expedi- 
tion (see  below). 

4.  Pacific  Squadron,  18^-188^  (2J^  vols.). 

Here  is  much  important  material,  especially  for  1841—1850,  bearing 
on  such  subjects  as  Commodore  Jones's  seizure  of  Monterey  in  1843, 
war  in  California  and  New  Mexico,  suspicions  of  England,  etc.  In 
later  volumes  are  found  accounts  of  affairs  in  South  America,  notably 
in  Chile. 

5.  Home  Squadron,  18^2-1861  (16  vols.). 

Especially  important  is  the  volume  for  1846-1847,  giving  details 
about  the  Mexican  War.  Much  information  is  to  be  found  relating 
to  South  American,  Cuban,  and  West  Indian  conditions. 

6.  East  Indian  Squadron,  18^5-1859  (11   vols.). 

These  volumes  contain  much  important  material,  including  reports, 
letters,  correspondence,  etc.,  relating  to  Perry's  mission  to  Japan  in 
1852—1855.  A  narrative  of  this  expedition  is  in  volume  14  of  Senate 
Documents,  S3  Cong.,  2  sess. 

7.  Mediterranean  Squadron,  184-8—1861   (9   vols.). 

Among  the  letters  in  these  volumes  are  some  relating  to  the  recep- 
tion of  Kossuth  and  the  Hungarian  refugees  on  board  the  American 
fleet,  and  also  correspondence  with  the  American  consulates  at  Con- 
stantinople and  elsewhere. 

8.  Eastern  Squadron — Fisheries,  1853   (1   vol.). 

Relating  to  the  fisheries  off  the  northeast  coast  of  America. 

9.  Paraguay  Expedition  and  Brazil  Squadron  Letters,  1868—1859  (1 

vol.). 

10.  Flotillas,  1861-1865  (3  vols.). 

Letters  from  the  Potomac,  James  River,  and  Mortar  Flotillas.  See 
"  Official  Records  ". 


124  NAVY  DEPARTMENT. 

11.  Mississippi  Squadrons,  1861-1865  (IJf.  vols.). 
See  "  Official  Records  ". 

12.  East  Gulf  Squadron,  1861-1865  (10  vols.). 
See  *'  Official  Records  ". 

13.  West  Gulf  Squadron,  1862-1865  (IS  vols.). 

Letters  for  1861  are  with  those  of  the  East  Gulf  Squadron.  See 
"  Official  Records  ". 

U.   West  India  Squadron,  1862-1864,  (2  vols.). 
See  "  Official  Records  ". 

15.  European  Station,  1865-1877  (1  vol.). 

16.  European  Squadron,  1865-188^  (21  vols.). 

Interesting  correspondence  relating  to  trouble  at  Alexandria  in  1882 
is  contained  in  these  volumes. 

17.  Gulf  Squadron,  in  Command  of  Commodore  J.  A.  Winslorv,  1866— 

1867  (2  vols.). 
These  letters  contain  interesting  material  relating  to  riots  in  New 
Orleans,  affairs  in  Mexico,  abdication  of  Maximilian,  selling  slaves  into 
Cuba  after  the  Civil  War,  etc. 

18.  North  Pacific  Squadron,  1866-1878  (10  vols.). 

Here  is  found  some  information  concerning  conditions  in  Hawaii, 
coaling  stations,  affairs  in  Alaska,  California,  etc. 

19.  Southern  Pacific  Squadron,  1866-1877  (10   vols.). 

Many  of  these  letters  relate  to  political  affairs  in  South  American 
states,  revolutions,  the  treatment  of  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and 
the  attitude  of  various  states  toward  the  United  States. 

20.  Northern  and  Southern  Pacific  Squadrons,  1871-1872  (1  vol.). 
These  letters  bear  upon  affairs  in  South  American  states,  especially 

Peru. 

21.  Asiatic  Squadron,  1867-1884  (19  vols.). 

These  volumes  contain  much  material  of  historical  interest,  such  as 
reports  on  the  foreign  situation  and  trade  conditions,  correspondence 
with  consuls,  information  about  Korea,  negotiations  with  Japan,  inter- 
views with  native  chiefs,  account  of  a  punitive  expedition  in  southern 
Formosa  in  1867,  etc. 

22.  North  Atlantic  Squadron,  1861-1887  (54  vols.). 

These  letters  relate  largely  to  unimportant  details  of  the  service,  but 
there  are  numerous  reports  on  conditions  in  South  America  and  the 


NAVAL    WAR    RECORDS    OFFICE.  125 

West  Indies,  troubles  of  American  citizens,  and  various  other  subjects. 
For  illustrative  material  in  print  see  S.  Ex.  Doc.  34,  41  Cong.,  3  sess. 

23.  South  Atlantic  Squadron,  186 1-188 J^  (35  vols.). 

These  letters  are  concerned  mostly  with  details  of  the  service,  but 
contain  some  reports  on  affairs  in  Brazil,  Paraguay,  and  other  parts 
of  South  America. 

III.     Executive  Letters. 

1.  Executive  Letter-Boohs,  1821-1886  (J^O  vols.). 

These  letters  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  the  President  and 
members  of  the  Cabinet  are  concerned  largely  with  appointments,  dis- 
charges, promotions,  and  inter-department  business. 

2.  Executive  Letters  Received,  1837-1866  (38  vols.). 

These  letters  are  of  the  same  general  character  as  those  in  the  letter- 
books,  described  above. 

IV.     Congressional  Correspondence. 

1.  Congress  Letters. 

a.  From  Committee  Chairmen,  1798-1886  (18  vols.). 
h.  From  Members,  1825-1849   (4  vols.). 

These  letters  from  Congress  relate  largely  to  naval  legislation,  and 
contain  requests  for  information. 

2.  Letters  to  Congress,  1825-1869  (7  vols.). 

Correspondence  between  the  Navy  Department  and  Congress,  con- 
veying information,  replying  to  questions,  etc. 

V.     General  Correspondence. 

1.  Miscellaneous  Letters,  1791^.-1887  (about  850  vols.). 

In  this  series  are  letters  received  from  all  sources,  the  general  public, 
officers,  and  especially  from  enlisted  men  and  their  friends.  A  great 
variety  of  subjects  is  treated — ^transfers,  furloughs,  promotions,  con- 
tracts, routine  of  service,  etc.  There  are  many  letters  from  Paul 
Revere  relative  to  furnishing  copper  bottoms  for  ships,  and  very 
interesting  letters  from  Robert  Fulton  describing  his  torpedo  experi- 
ments. An  account  of  the  mutiny  on  the  "  General  Armstrong  "  may 
also  be  noted. 

2.  General  Letter-Books,  1798-1886  {123  vols.). 

This  series  comprises  the  letters  from  the  department  to  the  general 
public.  There  are  many  replies  to  applications  for  office,  and  much  in- 
formation about  the  officers  of  the  Navy.     J.  R.  Soley  (Winsor,  VII, 


126  NAVY   DEPARTMENT. 

414)   regards  this  series  as  one  of  the  most  important  of  those  con- 
taining **  letters  sent ". 

3,  Confidential  Letters  Sent,  1857-1883  {2  vols.). 
Jf.  Confidential  Letters  Received,  1861—1864-  (1  vol.). 
VI.     Exploring  Expeditions. 
For  a  bibliography  of  exploring  expeditions  see  **  Reports  of  ex- 
plorations printed  in  the  documents  of  the  United  States  government " 
(compiled  by  Adelaide  R.  Hasse,  Washington,  1899). 

1.  South  Sea  Exploring  Expedition. 

a.  Exploring  Expedition  Letters,  May,  1836- August,  1838   (4  vols.). 

These  letters  relate  to  fitting  out  the  South  Sea  Expedition,  which 
was  at  first  under  the  command  of  Commodore  Thomas  ap  Catesby 
Jones,  but  which,  before  it  sailed,  was  commanded  by  Lieutenant 
Charles  Wilkes.  There  are  letters  from  scientific  men,  naval  officers, 
government  officials,  the  President,  and  others. 
h.  Wilkes's  Exploring  Expedition,  1838-1842    (2  vols.). 

These  letters  are  a  continuation  of  the  above  and  relate  to  the  actual 
work  and  movements  of  the  expedition. 

For  information  about  the  fitting  out  of  the  expedition  see  "  Niles' 
Register"  for  the  years  1836—1838.  The  narrative  and  scientific 
results  of  the  expedition  are  printed  in  "  United  States  exploring 
expedition  during  the  years  1838-1842,  under  command  of  Charles 
Wilkes"  (20  vols.,  Philadelphia,  1844-1874). 

2.  Expedition  to  the  Dead  Sea.     Lieutenant  W.  F.  Lynch.     18^8  {1 

vol.). 
See  S.  Ex.  Doc.  34,  30  Cong.,  2  sess. 

3.  Cruise  of  the  "  St.  Lawrence  *'.     Captain  H.  Paulding,  184.8-1850 

(1  vol.). 

4.  Behring  Straits,  North  Pacific,  and  China  Sea,  1852-1855  {3  vols.). 
Letters  relating  to  the  surveying  expedition  under  Commander  C. 

Ringold  and  to  the  removal  of  Ringold  by  Commodore  Perry. 

5.  Survey  of  the  Rivers  Plata,  Paraguay,  etc.,  1853—1856  (1  vol.). 
Letters  from  Lieutenant  Thomas  J.  Page.     Printed  in  part  in  the 

report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  H.  Ex.  Doc,  Vol.  I,  34  Cong., 
3  sess.,  pp.  430-465. 

6.  Letters  from  Commander  John  Rodgers;  Surveying  Expedition  to 

the  North  Pacific  Ocean,  1854-1855  (2  vols.). 
An  account  of  the  cruise  of  the  "  Vincennes  "  is  to  be  found  in  these 
letters. 


NAVAL    WAR   RECORDS    OFFICE.  127 

7.  Nicaragua    Surveying    Expedition,    1872    (2    small    volumes    and 

papers). 
Report  of  A.  G.  Menocal,  civil  engineer,  accompanied  by  sub-reports. 

8.  Cruise  of  the  "  Ticonderoga  *\  1878-1879  (2  vols.). 

The  orders  of  the  **  Ticonderoga  "  were  to  proceed  "  to  the  unfre- 
quented parts  of  Africa,  Asia,  the  islands  of  the  Indian  Ocean  and  the 
adjacent  seas,  particularly  where  there  are  at  present  no  American 
representatives,  with  a  view  to  the  encouragement  and  extension  of 
American  commerce  ". 

9.  Journal  of  George  TV.  De  Long,  commanding  the  "  Jeannette  "  ex- 

pedition, 1879-1881  (4.  vols.). 
See  "  The  Voyage  of  the  Jeannette.     The  Ship  and  Ice  Journals 
of  George  W.  De  Long  "   (Emma  De  Long,  editor,  2  vols.,  Boston, 
1883). 

10.  "  Jeannette  "  and  "  Rogers  ",  1881-1883  (1  vol.). 

Letters  and  telegrams  concerning  the  loss  of  these  vessels,  together 
with  the  correspondence  relating  to  the  removal  of  the  bodies  of  De 
Long  and  his  comrades  to  the  United  States. 

11.  Naval  Expedition  to  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  Commander  B.  H, 

McCalla,  1885  (1  vol.). 
Telegrams,  instructions,  etc.,  relating  to  various  matters  and  com- 
plications in  Central  and  South  America. 

VII.      CORBESPONDENCE    RELATING   TO   THE    MARINE    CoRPS. 

See  also  below  under  Headquarters  of  the   Marine  Corps. 

1.  Letters  to  Officers  of  the  Marine  Corps,  1801^-1886  {IJf  vols.). 
These  letters  from  the  Navy  Department  appear  to  be  largely  of 

a   personal   character,   relating   to    appointments,    courts-martial,    dis- 
charges, etc. 

2.  Marine  Corps,  Acceptances,  1812-1862. 

Oaths  of  allegiance  taken  by  newly  appointed  officers,  letters  accept- 
ing appointments,  etc. 

3.  Miscellaneous  Letters,  1828-1886  (76  vols.). 

Letters  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  from  members  of  the  Marine 
Corps,  relating  for  the  most  part  to  discharges,  transfers,  furloughs, 
pay,  etc. 


128  NAVY  DEPARTMENT. 

VIII.     Correspondence  relating  to  Yards  and  Docks. 

1.  Letters  from  Agents  at  the  Navy-Yards,  1808-1865  (10  vols.). 
From  1808  to  1815  these  letters  are  occasionally  of  historical  value^ 

but  most  of  them  relate  to  administrative  details. 

2.  Letters  from  Navy-Yards  and  Naval  Stations,  18^8-188Ji,  (about 

325  vols.). 
These  letters   relate   for  the   most   part  to   details   of  the   service, 
supplies,  construction,  discipline,  sales,   etc.      They  are   arranged   in 
various  series  by  yards  and  stations,  and  the  dates  of  the  beginning 
and  ending  of  the  respective  series  vary. 

3.  Letters  to  Commandants  of  Yards,  etc.,  1868-1886  (10  vols.). 

If..  European  Dock  Yards,  1870  (1  vol.). 

Report  on  the  dock  yards  of  Europe,  by  T.  D.  Wilson. 

5.  Inventory  of  Public  Property  of  Navy  Department,  1878  (Jf  vols.). 
Boston,  Mare  Island,  Portsmouth,  New  York,  League  Island,  Nor- 
folk, Key  West,  Pensacola,  etc. 

6.  Inspection  Reports. 

Chief  Engineers'  letters;  reports  of  commissions  for  sale  of  navy- 
yards. 

IX.     Miscellaneous  Files. 

Under  this  heading  are  arranged  in  chronological  order  those  series 
which  do  not  clearly  belong  under  any  of  the  preceding  headings. 

1.  British  Naval  Commissioners:   Letter-Book,  17 8 Jf.— 1790. 

This  letter-book  of  the  British  Naval  Commissioners  was  recently 
purchased  by  the  department.  It  contains  both  letters  sent  and  re- 
ceived, many  of  which  are  of  considerable  interest  and  appear  to  be 
confidential. 

2.  Contracts  with  the  Navy  Department,  1794.-1860  (6  vols.). 

3.  American  Prisoners,  1812  (3  vols.). 

These  three  books,  recently  purchased,  contain  the  original  records 
of  the  American  prisoners  captured  in  the  War  of  1812  and  taken  to 
Halifax,  Jamaica,  and  the  Barbadoes.  The  records  show  the  name 
of  each  prisoner,  the  date  of  his  capture,  the  name  of  the  vessel 
on  which  he  had  served,  and  the  final  disposition  made  of  him  (ex- 
changed, etc.). 

Jf..  Navy  Commissioners*  Letters,  1827-184^   (29  vols.). 

These  letters  from  the  Navy  Commissioners  relate  to  construction, 
repair,  and  equipment  of  vessels,  to  contracts,  buildings  in  navy-yards, 
etc.     See  also  below  under  Bureau  of  Construction  and  Repair. 


NAVAL    WAR   RECORDS   OFFICE.  129 

5.  Circulars,  1842-1865  (1  vol.). 

6.  Bureau  Letters,  18J^2-188J^  {83  vols.). 

These  letters  from  the  bureaus  of  the  department  relate  only  to  the 
details  and  routine  of  the  administration  of  the  department  and  its 
bureaus. 

7.  Letters  to  Heads  of  Bureaus,  1842-1886  (7  vols.). 

These  letters  relate  to  the  routine  of  the  administration  of  the 
department  and  are  of  the  same  general  character  as  those  in  the 
preceding  series. 

8.  Navy  Agents*  and  Store-Keepers*  Letters,  1843-1865  {27  vols.). 

A  continuation  of  Navy  Commissioners'  letters  and  of  the  same 
general  character. 

9.  Fourth   Auditors*   and   Second    Comptrollers*   Letters,    1847—1884 

(67  vols.). 
The  letters  received  from  the  accounting  officers  relate  to  pay-rolls, 
naval  expenditures,  and  department  finance  in  general. 

10.  Naval  Asylum  Letters,  1849-1850  (1  vol.). 

Letters  received  relating  to  admissions  to  the  naval  asylum. 

11.  Corporal  Punishment  and  Spirit  Rations,  1850  {1  vol.). 
Opinions  of  such  officers  as  Sloat,  Stockton,  Shubrick,  I.  B.  Hull, 

etc.,  on  the  subjects  of  corporal  punishment  and  the   effect  of  the 
spirit  ration,  written  in  reply  to  questions  from  the  Secretary  of  the 

Navy. 

12.  Congress  Resolutions,  1851-1861  (1  vol.). 

13.  Navy  Agents  and  General  Orders,  1853-1865  {2  vols.). 

14'  Commodore  C.  S.  McCauley*s  Mission  to  Cuba,  1855  (1  vol.). 

Letters  relating  to  the  affair  of  the  ship  "  El  Dorado  ".  Spain  had 
exercised  the  right  of  visitation  and  search,  and  Commodore  McCauley's 
mission  was  in  the  nature  of  a  demonstration  by  the  United  States. 

15.  Resignations  and  Dismissals,  1859—1865  {8  vols.). 

16.  Prizes,  1861-1865  {46  vols.). 

Reports  of  prize  cases  and  final  decrees;  records  and  lists  of  prizes, 
etc. 

17.  Letters  from  Foreign  Consuls  to  Commanders  of  United  States 

Vessels  or  to  the  Navy  Department,  1861—1865. 
These  letters  are  of  great  interest,  bearing  on  Confederate  privateers, 
blockade  running,   construction   of   Confederate  vessels   in   European 
ports,  etc. 
10 


130  NAVY   DEPARTMENT. 

18.  Inventions,  Examining  Board  and  Permanent  Commission,  1861— 

1865  (7  vols.). 

19.  Lists  of  Officers  of  Vessels,  1861-1865  {25  vols.). 

20.  Lists  of  Officers  of  Squadrons  and  Fleets,  1862-1865  (2  vols.). 

21.  Medals  of  Honor  Transmitted  and  Acknowledged,  1862-1866  (2 

vols.). 

22.  Letters  to  the  Naval  Academy,  1869-188 J^  (15  vols.). 

These  letters  relate  to  the  routine  of  the  administration  of  the 
academy. 

23.  Naval  Examining  Board,  1870-1872  (3  vols.). 

Letters  from  the  Naval  Examining  Board  accompanying  reports  on 
examinations  for  promotion;  the  reports  themselves  are  not  included, 
but  recommendations  as  to  procedure  are  sometimes  made,  which  are 
of  some  interest. 

^4.  Lists  of  Officers  at  Yards  and  on  Vessels,  1870-1889  (31  vols.), 

25.  Applications  for  Positions,  1872-187 J^  (2  vols.). 

Navy  Department,  Naval  Academy,  navy-yards,  and  naval  stations. 

26.  Correspondence  Relating  to  the  Seizure  of  the  Ship  "  Virginius  "  hy 

the  Cuban  Authorities,  1873  (1  vol.). 
These  letters  contain  interesting  testimony  of  persons  on  board  the 
"  Virginius  ". 

27.  Naval  Advisory  Board.     Report,  1880-1881  (1  vol.). 

28.  Gun  Foundry  Board.     Report,  1883-188J,.  (1  vol.). 
See  H.  Ex.  Doc.  97,  48  Cong.,  1  sess. 

29.  Dr.  Wilson  vs.  King  of  Johanna,  1885. 

Voluminous  report,  by  Commodore  Harrington,  on  the  trouble  be- 
tween Dr.  Wilson  and  the  King  of  Johanna. 

30.  Addresses  of  Officers  on  Vessels,  1887-1889  (1  vol.). 

31.  Steel  Inspection  Board,  1887-1890  (1  vol.). 
Report  on  steel  tests. 

Loaned  Papers  relating  to  the  Civil  "War. 

In  collecting  material  for  the  "  Official  Records  "  the  Naval  War 

Records  Office  procured  as  loans  various  private  collections  of  papers, 

belonging  for  the  most  part  to  the  officers  or  the  families  of  officers  in 

the  Union   and  Confederate   Navies.     The   more   important  of  these 


NAVAL    WAR   RECORDS    OFFICE.  ]31 

papers  are  to  be  found  in  the  published  volumes,  but  many  of  consid- 
erable interest  could  not  be  included. 

Although  these  collections  cannot  be  called  a  part  of  the  archives 
of  the  department  (some  of  them,  in  fact,  have  already  been  returned 
to  their  owners),  it  is  thought  that  the  accompanying  list  may  be  of 
service  in  aiding  the  student  to  locate  important  material.  In  the  list 
given  below  are  included  first,  brief  descriptions  of  the  more  important 
collections  relating  to  the  Union  Navy;  second,  a  list  of  the  names  of 
officers  in  the  Union  Navy  whose  papers  were  loaned;  third,  a  list  of 
the  Confederate  officers  whose  papers  were  obtained  by  the  office.  In- 
formation in  regard  to  any  of  these  collections  can  be  obtained 
through  correspondence  with  the  Naval  War  Records  Office,  and  the 
present  location  of  such  papers  as  have  been  returned  to  their  owners 
can  thus  be  learned. 
Important  Union  papers. 

1.  Adams,  H.  A. 

(a)  Seventy-one  letters  received  (1861-1865);  (b)  One  copy  book 
of  letters  sent  (1863). 

2.  Bailey,  Theodore. 

(a)  Six  press  copy  books,  letters  to  Secretary  of  Navy;  (6)  Order 
books  (1862-1864);  (c)  Four  books,  reports  of  captures  and  expedi- 
tions (1862-1864);  (d)  Two  scrap  books. 

5.  Bell,  H.  H. 

(a)  Seven  letter  books  (1862-1864);  (6)  Private  diaries,  six  small 
volumes  ( 1 862-1 8^?"^ ;  (c)  Loose  papers,  relating  to  the  Sabine  Pass 
affair;  (d)  Letters  ..oil.  Farragut  (1861-1864). 

4-.  Craven,  T.  A.  M. 
One  letter  book. 

6.  Dahlgren,  J.  A. 

(a)  Forty-six  letter  books  (1863-1865),  containing  current  letters, 
naval  correspondence,  admiral's  original  orders,  ironclad  reports,  staff 
journals,  admiral's  logs,  despatches  from  and  to  Navy  Department, 
letters  from  Admiral  Dahlgren,  and  extracts  from  consular  despatches; 
(6)  Notes  on  coasts  of  South  Carolina;  (c)  Letter  books  relating  to 
the  South  Pacific  Squadron,  while  under  command  of  Dahlgren  in 
1861;  (d)  Note  books  on  guns,  navy-yard,  record  and  service. 

6.  Davenport,  H.  K. 

Letter  books  (1838-1872,  but  mostly  1862-1864),  containing  letters 
from  the  Light  House  Board,  and  letters  and  reports  from  the  United 
States  Naval  Flotilla  in  the  sounds  of  North  Carolina. 


132  NAVY  DEPARTMENT. 

7.  DuPont,  S.  F. 

(a)  Fifteen  letter  books  (1861—1863);  (6)  Squadron  letters  received 
(1861-1863);  (c)  Army  letters  received  (1861-1863);  (d)  Letters 
from  Navy  Department  (1861-1863);  (e)  Private  and  semi-official 
letters  (1861-1865). 

8.  Farragut,  D,  G. 

(a)  Orders,  letters,  despatches,  etc.,  to  Secretary  of  Navy,  Navy 
Department  and  bureaus,  and  to  Army  and  Navy  officers  (1862- 
1864);  (6)  Squadron  letter  books  (1862-1864);  (c)  Letters  and  re- 
ports received  (1861-1865). 

9.  Foote,  A.  H. 

(a)  Letters  and  documents  relating  to  naval  operations  in  the  west; 
(6)  Letters  and  documents  from  various  officers  and  persons;  (c)  Let- 
ter books  (1861-1862). 

10.  Goldsborough,  L.  M. 

(a)  Telegrams  and  private  letters;  (6)  Letter  books: — North  At- 
lantic Squadron  (1861-1862),  European  Squadron  (1865-1867),  to 
Secretary  of  Navy  (1865-1867),  to  Ministers  and  Consuls  (1865- 
1867). 

11.  McKean,  TV,  TV. 

Six  letter  books  (1861-1862). 

12.  Mervincy  TVilliam. 

(o)  Two  letter  books  (1861  and  1836-1868)  ;  (6)  Journal  of  a  cruise 
in  the  U.  S.  S.  "Mississippi"  (1861). 

13.  Patterson,  T.  H, 

(a)  Letter  books  (1862-1865);  (6)  Order  books  (1861-1865);  (c) 
Letter  book  of  Commander  William  Reynolds  (1865). 

U.  Preble,  G.  H. 

One  hundred  and  seventy-one  letters  (1862-1865). 

15.  Radford,  TVilliam. 

(a)  Miscellaneous  letters  and  telegrams  and  correspondence  in  the 
departments;  (6)  General  orders  and  circulars;  (c)  Descriptions  of 
vessels,  list  of  vessels  and  officers;  (d)  Log  book  and  battery  books. 

16.  Rhind,  A.  C. 

(a)  Letters  (1863) ;  (b)  Papers  and  letters  relating  to  the  explosion 
of  the  powder-boat  "  Louisiana  "  at  Fort  Fisher. 


NAVAL    WAR   RECORDS   OFFICE. 


133 


17.  Roe,  F.  A. 

(a)  Two  letter  books  (1862-1865);  (6)  Private  journal  (August, 
1861,  to  December,  1862). 

18.  Rowan,  S.  C. 

(a)  Official  correspondence  (1861-1864);  (6)  Letter  book  (1854- 
1880). 

19.  Sands,  B.  F. 

Eleven  letters  (March  30  to  June  8,  1865). 

20.  Stribling,  C.  K. 

General  orders  and  circulars   (1864-1865). 

21.  Walhe,  H. 

Correspondence,  letter  books,  orders,  reports,  etc.,  relating  to  (1) 
storehouse  supply  (1859-1861);  (2)  gunboat  fleet  (1861-1863);  (3) 
U.  S.  S.  "  Sacramento  "  (1863-1865). 

22.  Welles,  Gideon. 

Twelve  letter  books  (1862-1869),  containing  all  his  naval  corre- 
spondence. 

23.  Wilkes,  Charles. 

(a)  Fourteen  letter-press  copy-books  (1862-1863);  (b)  Corre- 
spondence with  Navy  Department  (1862-1863);  (c)  Correspondence 
of  James  River  and  West  India  Squadrons  (1862-1863). 


Other  TJnion  ofQ.cers  whose  papers  were  loaned. 
Alden,  Jas.  Corbin,  T.  G. 

Ammen,  D.  Craven,  T.  T. 

Arnold,  H.  N.  T.  Crosby,  P. 


Baird,  G.  W. 
Balch,  G.  B. 
Bartlett,  J.  R. 
Beardslee,  L.  A. 
Beaumont,  J.  C. 
Bishop,  J. 
Blake,  H.  C. 
Boutelle,  C.  O. 
Braine,  D.  L. 
Browne,  Wm.  R. 
Bunce,  F.  M. 

Chase,  W. 
Clitz,  J.  M.  B. 
Colhoun,  E.  R. 
Cooke,  A.  P. 


Davis,  C.  H. 
Doss,  Sylvester. 
Drayton,  P. 
Dyer,  N.  M. 

Eagle,  H. 
Ealer,  H.  A. 
Eastman,  T.  H. 
Ellet,  A.  W. 
Emmons,  Geo.  F. 

Fairfax,  D.  McR. 
Frailey,  J.  M. 

Gardner,  J.  W. 
Ghsson,  O.  S. 


Goldsborough,  H.  A. 
Goldsborough,  John  R. 
Green,  J.  F. 
Greer,  J.  A. 

Haggerty,  F.  S. 
Hooker,  E. 
Howell,  J.  C. 
Hull,  J.  B. 

Jenkins,  T.  A. 
Johnston,  J.  V. 

Kilgore,  W.  F. 

Lardner,  J.  L. 
Latch,  E.  B. 
Lee,  S.  P. 
Le  Roy,  W.  E. 
Luce,  S.  B. 


134 


NAVY   DEPARTMENT. 


McCann,  W.  P. 
McCauley,  Edw. 
McCauley,  E.  Y. 
Mackay,  George. 
Mackie,  J.  F. 
Macomb,  W.  H. 
Mahan,  A.  T. 
Marchand,  J.  B. 
Marston,  John. 
Megler,  J.  G. 
Morgan,  Gen.  G.  W. 
Morton,  G. 
MuUany,  J.  R.  M. 

Newman,  W.  B. 
Nourse,  J.  E. 

Parker,  J. 
Parrott,  E.  G. 
Parsons,  L.  B. 
Confederate  officers 
Averett,  S.  W. 

Baker,  Jas.  McC. 
Barney,  Jos.  N. 
Barron,  Samuel. 
Blackmar,  A.  O.,  Jr. 
Bragg,  Braxton. 
Brent,  Thos.  W. 
Brooke,  John  M. 
Buchanan,  Franklin. 
Bullock,  Jas.  D. 

Carter,  Wm.  F. 
Gary,  Clarence. 
Cooke,  Jas.  W. 

Duvall,  R.  C. 

Edmondson,  R.  B. 
Eggleston,  Everard  T. 

Fairies,  T.  A. 
Farrand,  Ebenezer. 
Forrest,  French. 

Gait,  Francis  L. 
Gift,  Geo.  W. 
Goodwyn,  Matthew  P. 
Gunther,  C.  F. 


Paulding,  L. 
Pearson,  G.  F. 
Perkins,  G.  H. 
Porter,  D.  D. 
Price,  Cicero. 
Prichett,  J.  M. 

Ransom,  Geo.  M. 
Reynolds,  Wm. 
Rutherford,  W.  H. 

Sartori,  L.  C. 
Shober,  J.  F. 
Shock,  Wm.  H. 
Simpson,  Edward. 
Sims,  C.  S. 
Slattery,  D.  P. 
Smith,  M. 
Steedman,  C. 
Stevens,  T.  H. 
whose  papers  -were  loaned. 
Guthrie,  John  J. 

Harlan,  Jas. 
Henderson,  Alex. 
Hodges,  W.  R. 
Hoge,  Francis  L. 
HoUins,  Geo.  N. 
Hunter,  Wm.  W. 

Jackson,  Thos.  A. 
Jackson,  Wm.  H. 
Jones,  C.  Lucien. 
Jones,  Catesby  ap  R. 

Lamb,  Wm.   (Col.) 
Lindsay,  J.  W. 
Littlepage,  Hardin  B. 
Loyall,  Benj.  P. 

McCarrick,  Patrick. 
McCarrick,  Patrick  H. 
Magruder,  J.  B. 
Mason,  Jas.  M. 
Minor,  Robt.  D. 
Morgan,  Jas.  M. 

North,  Jas.  H. 

Page,  Thos.  J. 


Stevenson,  J.  H. 
Street,  W.  T. 

Trenchard,  S.  D. 

Van  Dyke,  G.  B. 
Varnick,  G.  L. 

Watmough,  P.  G. 
Welch,  Will  L. 
Willenbucher,  E. 
Wilson,  T.  D. 
Winslow,  J.  A. 
Wise,  H.  A. 
WoodhuU,  Maxwell. 
Worden,  J.  L. 

Yost,  G.  R. 


Pointdexter,  Carter  B. 
Pointdexter,  Reginald. 
Porter,  David  D. 
Porter,  John  L. 
Porter,  J.  W.  H. 

Ramsay,  Henry  A. 
Randolph,  Victor  M. 

Schober,  Fred. 
Semmes,  Raphael. 
Simms,  Chas.  C. 
Sinclair,  Arthur. 
Sinclair,  Geo,  T. 
Slidell,  John. 
Smith,  P.  E. 
Stone,  S.  D.,  Jr. 
Swain,  Edw.  A. 

Tattnall,  Josiah. 
Thompson,  Jacob. 
Tombs,  Jas.  H. 
Tucker,  John  R. 

Waddell,  Jas.  I. 
Webb,  Wm.  A. 
Wise,  H.  A. 
Wood,  John  T. 
Wright,  Marcus  J. 


BUREAU   OF  NAVIGATION.  135 

BUREAU   OF    NAVIGATION. 

The  Bureau  of  Navigation  promulgates  and  makes  a  record  of  all 
orders  to  the  fleet  and  to  officers  of  the  Navy,  keeps  the  record  of  ser- 
vice of  all  squadrons,  ships,  officers,  and  enlisted  men,  receives  reports 
of  service  performed  by  ships,  officers,  or  men,  and  of  inspections, 
prepares  and  revises  tactics,  drill  books,  signal  and  cipher  codes,  and 
regulations  governing  uniform  and  service  afloat,  directs  all  rendez- 
vous and  receiving  ships,  and  has  charge  of  the  enlistment  and  dis- 
charge of  all  enlisted  men,  and  of  all  that  relates  to  the  education  of 
officers  and  men  except  the  Naval  War  College. 

The  bureau  was  established  in  1862  (12  Stat.  L.  510),  but  its  rec- 
ords date  from  1798.  They  are  mainly  of  two  kinds;  (a)  personal 
records,  comprising  the  records  of  the  Office  of  Detail,  mentioned  by 
Soley  as  of  value  in  supplementing  the  "letters  sent"  in  the  Naval  War 
Records  Office,  and  (6)  log-books.  The  semi-annual  Navy  Register 
is  prepared  in  this  bureau;  this  important  publication  has  been  issued 
every  year,  beginning  in  1814,  with  the  exception  of  1816;  during  a 
part  of  this  time  it  appeared  only  annually.  What  is  believed  to  be 
the  only  complete  set  of  Navy  Registers  is  in  the  library  of  the  Navy 
Department.  A  "  General  Navy  Register  ",  containing  a  list  of  all 
officers  of  the  Navy  from  1775  to  1900  (New  York,  L.  R.  Hamersly, 
1901)  is  convenient  for  purposes  of  reference.  For  the  history  of  the 
various  vessels  to  1853  a  publication  by  Lieutenant  George  F.  Em- 
mons: "The  Navy  of  the  United  States,  1775-1853"  (Washington, 
1853),  may  be  used.  This  contains  the  history  of  the  service  of  each 
vessel  (including  privateers)  and  shows  its  ultimate  fate;  the  data  are 
arranged  in  tabular  form  and  are  (except  for  a  few  errors)  substan- 
tially accurate,  but  the  ditto  marks  should  be  followed  with  caution. 

I.     Persoxal  Records. 

1.  Record,  1798  to  date  (about  J^OO  vols.). 

The  "  Record  "  contains  the  orders  sent  to  officers.  It  was  formerly 
known  as  the  "  Register ",  and  before  that  as  "  Appointments  and 
Orders  ". 

2.  Reports  on  Officers,  184-6  to  date. 

A  series  of  volumes  containing  confidential  reports  made  by  superior 
officers  on  the  conduct  of  their  subordinates. 

S.  Enlistments  Rendezvous,  18^6  to  date  (about  JlfOO  vols.). 

Register  of  enlistments,  recruiting  station  returns,  and  muster  rolls, 
containing  information  about  enlisted  men;  a  few  papers  antedate 
1846. 


136  NAVY  DEPARTMENT. 

II.      LoG-BoOKS. 

All  the  log-books  that  are  in  the  possession  of  the  Navy  Department 
are  in  the  Bureau  of  Navigation.  There  are  books  on  file  from  1801, 
though  until  1816  many  were  retained  by  officers ;  since  that  date,  how- 
ever, practically  all  the  log-books  have  been  filed  in  the  department. 
This  class  of  material  is  not  of  so  great  value  for  historical  purposes 
as  might  be  supposed;  for  example,  the  account  of  the  engagement 
between  the  "  Constitution  "  and  the  "  Guerriere  "  is  brief  and  meager, 
giving  only  an  outline  of  the  movements  of  the  "  Constitution  ".  Theo- 
dore Roosevelt^  in  the  preface  to  his  "Naval  War  of  1812",  says,  "The 
log-books  are  rather  exasperating,  often  being  very  incomplete  ",  and 
cites,  as  an  illustration,  the  log-book  of  the  frigate  "  United  States  ", 
which  does  not  contain  a  single  fact  about  the  fight  in  which  the  "  Mace- 
donian" was  captured.  The  only  published  list  of  log-books  is  the 
"  Office  Memoranda  No.  5  ",  referred  to  above,  and  that  gives  only  the 
books  of  the  Civil  War  period.  Lists  of  vessels,  however,  are  to  be 
found  in  the  Navy  Registers,  as  well  as  in  the  "  Blue  Books  ". 

BUREAU   OF    CONSTRUCTION   AND    REPAIR. 

The  Bureau  of  Construction  and  Repair  has  charge,  as  its  title  indi- 
cates, of  the  designing,  building,  fitting,  and  repairing  of  ships  and 
of  the  larger  part  of  their  permanent  fixtures.  Its  records  are  largely 
technical,  and  their  interest  would  be  chiefly  for  the  history  of  naval 
architecture.  This  bureau  is  the  repository  of  the  greater  part  of  the 
records  of  the  Navy  Commissioners,  dating  from  1815  to  1842,  and 
consisting  of  correspondence,  accounts,  returns,  etc. 

I.  Navy  Commissioners'  Records. 
These  records  of  the  Navy  Commissioners  relate  almost  wholly  to 
the  construction,  equipment,  and  repair  of  vessels,  the  principal  func- 
tion of  the  Commissioners  being  the  superintendence  of  such  work. 
They  are  of  considerable  value  for  the  information  they  contain  relating 
to  the  construction,  architecture,  types  of  vessels,  etc.,  of  the  old  Navy, 
and  have  been  used  somewhat  by  naval  historians,  but  they  do  not 
relate  to  movements  of  vessels  or  to  officers,  such  matters  being  under 
the  direct  supervision  of  the  Secretary,  They  are  arranged  in  two 
groups : 

1.  Correspondence,  1816—18^2. 

The  correspondence  is  in  two  series:  (a)  Letters  sent;  (6)  Letters 
received.     The    former    are    arranged   chronologically,   the   latter   by 


\ 

BUREAU   OF   CONSTRUCTION  AND   REPAIR.  137 

navy-yards,  the  letters  from  each  yard  being  filed  in  the  order  of  their 
receipt.  The  correspondence  is  chiefly  with  officers  in  navy-yards,  or 
elsewhere,  superintending  the  construction  of  vessels;  it  is  preserved 
in  volumes,  boxes,  and  bundles,  of  which  there  are  many  hundreds,  and 
is  kept  in  the  basement  of  the  Navy  building. 

2.  Accounts,  Reports,  Returns,  etc. 

These  papers  are  arranged  in  bundles  and,  being  stored  in  chests  at 
the  Navy- Yard,  are  practically  inaccessible.  On  each  chest  is  a  type- 
written list  showing  the  general  character  of  the  papers  within,  and 
from  these  lists  the  records  are  shown  to  consist  of  the  following 
classes : 

Muster-rolls,  1815-1 842 ; 

OflTers  to  furnish  materials  at  navy-yards,  1816—1841; 

Sundry  store  returns,  1816-1842; 

Reports  of  surveys  on  ships  and  ships'  stores,  1816-1843; 

Proposals  and  scales  of  offers  for  naval  supplies,  1816-1843; 

Reports  of  money  expended  out  of  the  "  gradual  increase  fund  *', 
1817  (1  bundle); 

Timber  reports,  1817-1819; 

Reports  on  the  state  and  condition  of  naval  vessels,  1818—1842  (33 
bundles) ; 

Rules  and  regulations  for  navy-yards,  1819—1822; 

Appropriations,  1819-1 828 ; 

Monthly  report  of  contracts,  1819-1842; 

Report  of  officers  and  men,  1819—1842; 

Vouchers,  1820-1830; 

Cost  of  building  the  schooner  "  Alligator  " ; 

Account  of  sales  at  auction,  1824-1833; 

Account  of  provisions  shipped,  1826-1831; 

Report  of  the  cost  of  materials  and  labor  in  repairing  naval  vessels, 
1826-1842; 

Monthly  exhibits,  1828-1831; 

Navy-yard  pay-rolls,  1838-1842. 

II.  Regular  Records  of  the  Bureau. 
The  regular  records  of  the  bureau  extend  from  1842  to  date  and 
consist  of  examination-papers,  ships'  surveys,  specifications,  contracts, 
records  of  the  Board  on  Changes,  etc.  They  include  two  chests  of 
papers  pertaining  to  what  was  called  "  Admiral  Gregory's  Office  " ; 
these  relate  to  vessels  building  outside  of  navy-yards  between  1861  and 


138  NAVY   DEPARTMENT. 

1866.     Most  of  the  regular  records  of  the  bureau  are  stored  in  boxes 
at  the  Navy- Yard. 

OFFICE  OF  THE  JUDGE-ADVOCATE^GENERAL. 

The  office  of  the  Judge-Advocate-General  was  first  established  in 
1865  (13  Stat.  L.  468),  but  was  not  made  permanent  until  1880  (21 
Stat.  L.  164).  The  Judge- Advocate-General  is  the  law  officer  of  the 
Navy  Department;  it  is  his  duty  to  revise,  report  upon,  and  have  re- 
corded the  proceedings  of,,  all  courts-martial,  courts  of  inquiry,  and 
boards  for  the  examination  of  officers  and  candidates  or  for  special 
purposes,  such  as  selection  of  sites;  to  examine  and  report  upon  all 
claims  filed  in  the  department;  to  prepare  forms  for  bonds  and  con- 
tracts and  to  examine  all  bonds  and  contracts;  to  report  on  all  legal 
questions  submitted  to  him,  etc. 

The  records  of  the  proceedings  of  courts-martial  and  of.  boards  of 
inquiry  are  the  ones  of  most  interest  and  historical  value.  They  are 
complete  since  July,  1799,  and  are  arranged  chronologically  in  vol- 
umes, while  there  is  a  general  index  showing  the  names  of  the  persons 
affected  and  the  dates,  charges,  and  departmental  action  in  each  case. 
The  records  of  courts  and  boards  are  not  regularly  printed,  but  many 
are  to  be  found  in  the  congressional  documents,  and  some  are  privately 
printed.  The  chief  value  of  such  records  lies  in  the  light  they  throw 
upon  the  details  of  the  events  to  which  they  relate.  Frequently  they 
reveal  facts  about  engagements  and  movements  not  included  in  the 
official  reports. 

HEADQUARTERS   OF    THE   MARINE    CORPS. 

The  records  of  the  Marine  Corps  are  said  to  relate  largely  to  the 
personnel  of  that  body,  and  consist  of  muster-rolls,  returns,  reports, 
enlistments,  etc.,  including  the  reports  of  many  engagements.  The 
records  of  enlistments,  which  alone  were  accessible,^  date  from  1798. 
For  a  detailed  history  of  the  organization,  see  the  "  History  of  the 
U.  S.  Marine  Corps",  by  Richard  S.  CoUum  (New  York,  1903). 

^  The  archives  of  the  Marine  Corps  were  inaccessible  while  this  report  was 
in  preparation,  being  packed  in  boxes  and  stored  in  the  Marine  Barracks.  The 
information  given  above  was  derived  through  questioning  members  of  the 
clerical  force  of  the  headquarters  of  the  Marine  Corps. 


PATENTS    AND    MISCELLANEOUS    DIVISION.  139 

DEPARTMENT    OF    THE    INTERIOR. 

The  Department  of  the  Interior  is  essentially  different  from  the 
other  executive  departments  in  that,  instead  of  being  concerned  with 
but  one  phase  of  governmental  activity,  as  the  War  Department,  for 
example,  is  concerned  with  military  affairs  alone,  it  is  composed  of  a 
number  of  large  offices  or  bureaus  performing  wholly  unrelated  duties. 
The  Office  of  Indian  Affairs  and  the  Pension  Bureau,  for  example, 
have  no  connection  whatever  with  each  other,  although  the  head  of  each 
is  responsible  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior.  It  is  thus  unnecessary 
to  say  anything  by  way  of  general  introduction  to  the  Interior  Depart- 
ment, the  place  of  such  an  introduction  being  filled  by  the  introductory 
statements  made  below  under  the  respective  bureaus  or  offices,  each  of 
which  receives  separate  and  independent  treatment. 

PATENTS    AND    MISCELLANEOUS    DIVISION,    OFFICE    OF    THE 

SECRETARY. 

The  Patents  and  Miscellaneous  Division  conducts  the  general  cor- 
respondence of  the  Secretary's  Office  (except  that  relating  to  appoint- 
ments, Indians,  lands,  and  railroads),  and  is  therefore  the  repository 
of  the  more  valuable  classes  of  records  of  that  office.  In  it  are  also 
kept  the  original  schedules  of  the  first  ten  censuses.  The  files,  apart 
from  the  census  schedules,  consist  mostly  of  letters  sent  and  letters 
received.  These  commence  in  1849,  although  some  papers  of  earlier 
dates  are  to  be  found.  The  arrangement  of  the  files  is  irregular ;  until 
about  1881,  letters  received  were  grouped  under  several  headings,  but 
since  that  date  most  of  them  have  been  filed  in  a  single  series.  The 
following  list,  for  which  acknowledgment  should  be  made  to  Mr.  Acker, 
the  chief  of  the  division,  comprises  chiefly  what  are  known  as  the  Old 
Files,  i.  e.,  those  prior  to  1881. 

I.     Correspondence  with  Officers  of  the  Government. 

1.  Miscellaneous  letters  sent,  January  26,  185Ji.-June  30,  1892  (39 

vols.). 
These  letters  are  to  members  of  Congress,  to  the  President,  and  to 
heads  of  executive  departments  and  bureaus;  they  relate  to  a  great 
variety  of  subjects. 

2.  Letters  received  from  Congress,  1850—1880  (1  file-box). 
Largely  resolutions  of  the  Senate  or  House,  or  requests  from  com- 
mittees  asking   for  information.     Some   of  the   reports   furnished   in 
reply  by  officers  of  the  Interior  Department  are  filed  with  these  letters. 


140  DEPARTMENT   OF   THE   INTERIOR. 

3.  Presidents*  letters,  1853-1880  (1  file-box). 

Many  of  these  letters  are  wholly  unimportant;  a  series  from  1853 
to  1869  relates  to  the  Executive  Mansion;  another,  of  1864,  to  the 
rebuilding  of  the  President's  stables.  Beginning  in  1864  are  letters 
from  the  President  submitting  proposed  legislation  for  examination. 

^.  Letters  from  the  Executive  Departments,  184-9—1880  (^  file-boxes). 
These  letters  are  of  a  miscellaneous  character,  and  are  arranged  by 
departments;  those  from  the  Secretary  of  State  commence  in  1863; 
from  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in  1849;  War,  1858;  Navy,  1855; 
Agriculture,  1862-1875;  Attorney-General,  1862;  Postmaster-General, 
1862;  Smithsonian  Institution,  1849. 

5.  Correspondence  with  the  Judiciary. 

(«)  Letters  sent,  January  25,  1854,  to  January  27,  1869  (45  vols.). 

(6)  Miscellaneous  letters  from  Court  of  Claims,  1855-1872  (part 
of  one  file-box),  relating  chiefly  to  accommodations  for  the  court. 

II.     Correspondence  with  Bureaus  of  the  Interior  Department. 

1.  Letters  sent  to  the  Commissioner  of  Pensions,  185Jf—1883  (28  vols.). 

2.  Letters  received  from  Commissioners  of  Pensions,  184-9-1883  (63 

file-boxes). 
These  letters  are  grouped  in  several  series;  they  relate  to  such  mat- 
ters as  bounty-land  claims  in  New  Mexico,  construction  of  pension  laws, 
pension  agents  and  agencies,  appointments,  defalcations  and  delinquen- 
cies, pension  frauds  and  criminal  practices,  etc. 

3.  Reports  (55  file-boxes). 

These  reports  are  by  the  Commissioner  of  Pensions  and  relate  to 
appeals  in  pensions  and  bounty-land  claims;  they  are  arranged  alpha- 
betically. 

4.  Letters  sent  to  Commissioner  of  Patents,  1857-1873  (1  vol.). 

5.  Letters  received  from  Commissioners  of  Patents,  1849-1881  (9  file- 

boxes). 
These  include  miscellaneous  letters,  requests  for  admission  of  ar- 
ticles, such  as  books  and  models,  free  of  duty;  papers  relating  to  well- 
known  patent  cases,  to  the  Patent  Congress  in  Vienna,  etc. 

6.  Correspondence  with  General  Land  Office. 

This  consists  of  one  volume  of  miscellaneous  letters  sent  during  June, 
July,  and  August,  1877,  and  of  one  file-box  of  miscellaneous  letters 
received,  1850  to  1880. 


PATENTS   AND   MISCELLANEOUS   DIVISION.  141 

7.  Miscellaneous  letters  from  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs,  1851- 

1880  (part  of  one  file-box). 

8.  Miscellaneous  letters  from  Commissioner  of  Education,  1867-1881 

(part  of  one  file-box). 
Many  of  these  relate  to  concerns  granting  worthless  diplomas. 

9.  Miscellaneous  letters  from  Geological  Survey,  1867-1903  (S  file- 

boxes). 
Included  in  these  boxes  are  also  letters  between  1877  and  1880,  re- 
lating to  the  Entomological  Commissions. 

III.  Slave  Trade  and  Colonization  Papers. 
A  valuable  class  of  material  is  that  comprising  the  papers  relating 
to  the  suppression  of  the  slave  trade  and  to  schemes  for  colonizing 
negroes.  These  papers  fill  eight  file-boxes  and  four  volumes.  All 
come  between  the  dates  1854  and  1872;  those  relating  to  the  suppres- 
sion of  the  slave  trade  consist  of  correspondence  with  United  States 
marshals  and  attorneys,  and  with  the  President  and  members  of  the 
Cabinet,  of  papers  relating  to  the  slaver  "Augusta",  1861-1862,  and 
of  miscellaneous  correspondence;  those  relating  to  colonization  schemes 
consist  of  correspondence  with  officers  of  the  government,  consuls, 
judges  of  mixed  courts,  emigration  agents  and  commissioners,  and 
officers  of  the  American  Colonization  Society.  The  attempt  to  establish 
a  colony  on  He  a  Vache  was  the  occasion  of  much  correspondence,  and 
of  full  and  interesting  reports  by  agents  of  the  government  relating 
to  the  failure  of  the  colony. 

IV.     Territorial  Papers. 

Much  of  the  correspondence  with  territorial  officers  is  of  com- 
paratively little  importance,  relating  to  the  construction  of  territorial 
buildings,  the  supply  of  libraries,  etc.  All  the  papers  prior  to  1873 
are  contained  in  a  small  bundle;  those  between  1875  and  1889  fill 
seventeen  file-boxes,  and  are  arranged  by  territories:  Arizona,  1877— 
1888,  except  1884;  Dakota,  1877-1888;  Idaho,  1880-1889;  Montana, 
1877-1885,  1887,  1889;  New  Mexico,  1875-1888;  Utah,  1877-1889; 
Washington,  1877-1889;  Wyoming,  1878-1888. 

These  are  all  the  papers  relating  to  territories  to  be  found  in  the 
Interior  Department.  Other  territorial  papers  are  on  file  in  the  Bu- 
reaus of  Rolls  and  Library  and  of  Indexes  and  Archives  of  the  State 
Department. 


142  DEPARTMENT   OF   THE   INTERIOR. 

V.     Federal  Prisons  and  Penitentiaries. 

1.  Papers   relating   to   the  Penitentiary   and  Jail   in   the   District   of 

Columbia,  1821-1878  (15  file-boxes). 
These  papers  consist  of  miscellaneous  papers,   1849—1878;  miscel- 
laneous letters,  1821-1862;  pardons,  1832-1862;  commitments,  1831- 
1862. 

2.  Other  Federal  Prisons,  1870-1872  (1  file-box). 

These  papers  consist  of  reports  on  prisoners,  letters  from  convicts, 
commutations  of  sentence,  wardens'  certificates,  etc. 

VI.    Miscellaneous. 

1.  Buildings. 

There  is  much  correspondence  and  other  papers  relating  to  the  erec- 
tion of  buildings  in  the  District  of  Columbia;  for  example,  Patent  Office 
building,  construction  and  reconstruction  of,  1849—1882;  Capitol  ex- 
tension, 1851-1867;  public  buildings  and  grounds,  1851-1866;  build- 
ings occupied  by  the  government,  1840—1852. 

2.  Affairs  in  the  District  of  Columbia  (1  file-box). 

These  papers  relate  to  schools;  the  Canal  Commission,  1870-1871; 
telegraphs,  1865—1880;  confiscation  of  property  under  act  of  July  17, 
1862;  etc. 

S.  Cuban  expedition,  1850-1851  (part  of  1  file-box). 

These  papers  relate  to  the  case  of  the  "  Creole  " ;  they  consist  of  the 
reports  of  special  agents,  and  of  correspondence,  and  bear  upon  the 
prosecution  and  punishment  of  the  leaders  of  the  expedition. 

J^.  Centennial  Exposition  (7  file-boxes). 

5.  Polygamy  in  Utah,  1879-1887  (1  file-box). 

Petitions  to  the  President  in  favor  of,  and  opposed  to,  polygamy  in 
Utah. 

6.  Pacific  Railway,  1853-1861. 

A  volume  of  letters  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  relating  to 
explorations  and  surveys  for  the  route  of  the  Pacific  Railway,  with 
special  reference  to  the  forty-seventh  and  forty-ninth  parallels. 

7.  Miscellaneous  letters  received,  1881-1895  (76  file-boxes). 

VII.     Census  Schedules. 
The  original  census  schedules  are  on  file  in  this  division;  exclusive 
of  the  unbound  schedules  there  are  about  4,600  volumes  for  the  first 
ten  censuses.     The  following  list  of  the  schedules  was  furnished  for 


PATENTS   AND   MISCELLANEOUS   DIVISION.  I43 

this  report  through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Acker,  the  chief  of  the  divi- 
sion ;  it  may  be  supplemented  by  the  volume  on  "  The  History  and 
Growth  of  the  United  States  Census  "  by  Carroll  D.  Wright  and  Wil' 
liam  C.  Hunt  (S.  Doc.  194,  56  Cong.,  1  sess.),  which  contains  a  de- 
scription of  these  schedules  (pp.  76—79)  and  an  account  of  the  exact 
character  of  the  inquiries  in  each  census.  These  original  schedules 
contain  of  course  the  detailed  information  from  which  the  printed  sum- 
maries are  compiled. 

1.  First  Census,  1790  (27  vols.). 

Population  only;  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  Massachusetts, 
Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina. 

2.  Second  Census,  1800  (27  vols.). 

Population  only;  same  states  as  above  with  addition  of  Delaware. 

5.  Third  Census,  1810  (U  vols.). 

Population  and  manufactures  bound  together;  same  as  second  cen- 
sus with  addition  of  Virginia,  Kentucky,  and  Orleans  Territory. 

^.  Fourth  Census,  1820  (96  vols.). 

(a)  Population;  73  vols.;  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  Massa- 
chusetts, Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Penn- 
sylvania, Delaware,  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  Virginia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  Tennessee, 
Kentucky,  Ohio,  Illinois,  Indiana. 

(6)  Manufactures,  23  vols.;  same  as  for  population  except  schedules 
for  Delaware,  District  of  Columbia,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Louisiana,  Mis- 
sissippi, Rhode  Island,  and  South  Carolina  are  missing. 

6.  Fifth  Census,  1830  (190  vols.). 
Population  only;  no  schedules  missing.^ 

6.  Sixth  Census,  18^.0  (30J,.  vols.). 
(o)  Population,  273  vols. 

(6)  Agriculture,  Manufactures,  Mines  and  Mining,  Fish  and  Fish- 
eries, Commerce,  and  Education,  31  vols. 

7.  Seventh  Census,  1850  (84.3  vols.). 

(a)  Population,  free  and  slave  inhabitants;  free,  588  vols.;  slave,  81 
vols,  (slave  schedules  for  Delaware  and  District  of  Columbia  are  miss- 
ing). 

(6)  Agriculture,  101  vols. 

(c)  Mortality,  32  vols. 

*  Beginning  with  the  fifth  census  the  schedules  are  complete. 


144  DEPARTMENT   OF    THE   INTERIOR. 

(d)  Industry,  21  vols. 

(e)  Social  Statistics,  20  vols. 

8.  Eighth  Census,  1860  (92^  vols.). 

(o)   Population,  free  and  slave  inhabitants,  on  separate  schedules; 
free,  711  vols.;  slave,  49  vols. 
(6)  Agriculture,  106  vols, 
(c)  Mortality,  21  vols, 
(c?)   Manufactures,  18  vols, 
(e)  Social  Statistics,  19  vols. 

9.  Ninth  Census,  1870  (826  vols.). 
(a)  Population,  649  vols. 

(6)  Agriculture,  114  vols, 
(c)  Industry,  31  vols. 
(^d)  Mortality,  28  vols, 
(e)  Social  Statistics,  4  vols. 

10.  Tenth  Census,  1880  (1,828  vols.). 

(a)  Population,  824  vols. 

(b)  Agriculture,  322  vols. 

(c)  Manufactures,  72  vols. 

(d)  Defective,  Dependent,  and  Delinquent  Classes,  58  vols. 

(e)  Mortality,  52  vols. 

11.  Partial  Census  of  1885. 

Unbound  schedules  of  population  for  Nebraska,  Colorado,  Florida, 
Dakota  Territory,  and  New  Mexico  Territory. 

12.  Eleventh  Census,  1890. 

The  schedules  of  the  eleventh  census  are  unbound.  It  is  estimated 
that  the  population  schedules,  if  bound,  would  make  about  30,000  vol- 
umes, owing  to  the  form  of  the  schedule.  The  agricultural  schedules 
have  been  transferred  to  the  custody  of  the  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture; and  the  schedules  relating  to  veterans  have  been  transferred  to 
the  Pension  Bureau.  The  schedules  relating  to  mortality  and  social 
statistics  were  damaged  by  fire  in  March,  1896,  and  have  been  de- 
stroyed by  order  from  the  Interior  Department. 

APPOINTMENT   DIVISION,   OFFICE    OF    THE    SECRETARY. 

The  Appointment  Division  has  charge  of  all  business  concerning  the 
appointment,  removal,  resignation,  charges  against  official  conduct, 
leaves  of  absence,  official  bonds,  etc.,  of  the  officers  and  employees  of 
the  Department  of  the  Interior  who  are  appointed  by  the  President 


INDIAN   DIVISION,   OFFICE    OF   THE   SECRETARY.        145 

or  by  the  Secretary.  The  records  consist  of  correspondence,  papers 
filed  with  applications  for  appointments  or  with  charges  against  offi- 
cials, and  of  all  other  papers  and  letters  connected  with  the  work  of 
the  division.  The  division  was  not  organized  until  September,  1861, 
but  its  files  commence  in  1856,  with  the  exception  of  the  records  of 
presidential  appointments,  which  date  from  1849.  Certain  papers  have 
been,  destroyed  as  being  of  no  value  (see  H.  Doc.  273,  56  Cong.,  2 
sess.,  and  H.  Doc.  415,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.). 

The  papers  connected  with  each  individual  case  are  jacketed  together 
and  are  made  accessible  by  means  of  a  card-index.  Much  of  the  ma- 
terial is  considered  confidential. 

INDIAN   DIVISION,   OFFICE   OF    THE    SECRETARY. 

The  Indian  Division  conducts  all  the  business  in  the  Secretary's 
Office  relating  to  Indian  affairs,  except  that  relating  to  the  five  civilized 
tribes,  which  is  conducted  by  the  Indian  Territory  Division.  This 
business  consists  of:  (1)  Matters  relating  to  Indian  lands;  such  as 
rights  of  Indians  to  lands,  intruders  and  trespassers,  cessions,  reserva- 
tions, deeds,  conveyances,  surveys,  allotments,  leases,  contracts,  rail- 
way, canal,  and  irrigation  rights,  projected  legislation,  construction  of 
treaties  and  laws,  cattle  grazing,  mining  and  logging  operations,  etc. 
(2)  Matters  relating  to  Indian  moneys;  such  as  construction  of  treaties 
on  questions  of  annuities,  expenditure  of  annuities,  accounts  of  lands 
and  stocks  in  which  Indian  trust  funds  are  invested,  contracts  with 
Indians  for  professional  services  in  claims,  projected  legislation  re- 
garding Indian  annuities,  etc.  (3)  Matters  relating  to  the  conduct  of 
Indians;  such  as  outbreaks,  disorders,  crimes,  and  depredations,  and 
claims  therefor,  industrial  employments,  etc.  (4)  Matters  relating  to 
the  support  of  Indians;  such  as  construction  of  laws  authorizing  ex- 
penditures for  Indian  supplies,  contracts  for  Indian  supplies,  and 
transportation,  service  of  employees,  etc.  (5)  Matters  relating  to 
Indian  education;  such  as  location  and  construction  of  Indian  school 
buildings,  contracts  for  conducting  schools,  inspections  of  schools,  etc. 
(6)  Inspection  of  the  Indian  service;  such  as  instructions  to  inspectors, 
examination  of  inspectors'  reports,  accounts,  etc.  (7)  Miscellaneous 
matters;  such  as  missions  and  missionaries,  permits  to  go  into  the 
Indian  country,  commissions  appointed  to  negotiate  with  the  Indians, 
etc. 

The  files  of  the  division  consist  of  the  correspondence,  papers,  and 
records  relating  to  the  above  matters  of  business;  such  as  correspond- 
11 


146  DEPARTMENT   OF    THE   INTERIOR. 

ence  with  the  President  and  Cabinet  officers,  and  with  the  Commissioner 
of  Indian  Affairs,  opinions  of  the  Attorney-General,  correspondence 
with  the  General  Land  Office  and  other  bureaus;  etc.  These  records 
should  be  clearly  distinguished  from  those  of  the  Office  of  Indian 
Affairs;  they  relate  only  to  such  matters  as  require  the  attention  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  while  the  latter  pertain  to  the  direct 
administration  of  Indian  affairs  exercised  by  the  commissioner.  The 
files  of  the  division  are  complete  since  1849. 

OFFICE    OF    INDIAN   AFFAIRS. 

By  the  act  establishing  the  War  Department  in  1789  (1  Stat.  L.  49) 
the  direct  administration  of  Indian  affairs  was  delegated  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  War,  but  in  1832  (4  Stat.  L.  564)  the  office  of  Commissioner 
of  Indian  Affairs  was  created,  and  thereafter  all  business  relating  to 
the  Indians  was  conducted  by  the  Commissioner  under  the  supervision 
of  the  Secretary  of  War,  until  in  1849,  when  the  Interior  Department 
was  created,  the  Office  of  Indian  Affairs  was  transferred  to  the  new  de- 
partment. The  various  matters  of  business  conducted  by  the  Office  of 
Indian  Affairs  are  sufficiently  indicated  in  the  account  of  the  duties 
of  the  Indian  Division  of  the  Secretary's  Office.  The  files  of  the  office 
do  not,  so  far  as  shown  by  the  examination  for  this  report,  antedate 
1800:  papers  between  1800  and  1832  are  rare;  those  between  1832 
and  1849  are  numerous;  while  those  from  1849  to  date  are  practically 
complete,  with  the  exception  of  such  as  have  been  destroyed  as  value- 
less (see  H.  Doc.  273,  56  Cong.,  2  sess.,  and  H.  Doc.  415,  57  Cong., 
1  sess.).  A  great  many  of  the  more  important  papers  will  be  found 
printed  in  the  annual  reports  of  the  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs, 
which  contain  yearly  summaries  of  the  relations  with  the  Indians; 
reports  of  superintendents,  inspectors,  agents,  and  teachers ;  important 
correspondence;  statistical  tables,  etc.  A  very  important  publication  is 
"  Indian  Affairs,  Laws,  and  Treaties,  1778-1902  ",  compiled  and  edited 
by  Charles  J.  Kappler  (2  vols.,  S.  Doc.  452,  57  Cong.,  1  sess.),  which 
contains  statutes,  executive  orders,  proclamations,  treaties,  and  statistics 
of  tribes.  Especial  note  should  be  made  of  the  library  of  this  office, 
which  contains  a  collection,  in  about  one  hundred  volumes,  of  the  con- 
gressional documents,  from  1827  to  date,  relating  to  Indian  affairs, 
as  well  as  a  valuable  index,  compiled  by  the  librarian.  Miss  Cook,  to 
works  on  the  Indians. 

Of  the  six  divisions  (Finance,  Lands,  Accounts,  Education,  Records 
and  Files,  and  Miscellaneous)  into  which  the  office  is  organized,  two. 


OFFICE    OF   INDIAN   AFFAIRS. 


147 


Records  and  Files,  and  Lands,  contain  important  records.     The  Rec- 
ords and  Files  Division  contains,  for  the  most  part,  the  records  of  the 
other  divisions,  which  are  sent  here  to  be  filed  and  indexed. 
Records  and  Files  Division. 
1.   General  Files,  1800  to  date  (several  thousand  file-hoxes). 

The  General  Files  consist  of  all  the  papers  received  by  the  office  from 
agents  or  other  Indian  officials  and  contain  the  most  valuable  material 
in  the  Indian  Office.  While  the  larger  part  of  it  relates  to  unimpor- 
tant details,  there  are  here  and  there  papers  that  throw  much  light  on 
the  history  of  Indian  administration.  In  the  early  Cherokee  files,  for 
example,  are  to  be  found  the  instructions  of  Secretary  Dearborn  out- 
lining the  government's  policy  toward  the  Indians,  and  frequently 
picturesque  letters  from  various  Indians  are  to  be  met  with.  In  the 
New  Mexico  files  are  foimd  many  letters  from  Territorial  Governor 
Calhoun  relating  to  the  administration  of  the  territory,  the  formation 
of  political  parties,  and  other  similar  subjects,  while  in  the  series  relat- 
ing to  schools  is  contained  the  whole  history  of  Indian  education. 

The  papers  received  prior  to  1880  are  grouped  by  agencies  or  super- 
intendencies  and  arranged  chronologically  and  alphabetically,  but  since 
that  year  the  papers  have  been  filed  numerically.  The  following  list 
shows  the  arrangement  from  1800  to  1880.  When  only  one  date  is 
given  for  a  group  the  files  are  complete  for  that  group  from  the  given 
date  to  1880  and  then  pass  into  the  numerical  arrangement.  When 
two  dates  are  given,  as  "  Blackfeet,  1865—1868",  the  files  begin  in 
the  earlier  year,  while  those  after  the  later  date  are  to  be  found  under 
some  other  heading.  In  all  cases  the  first  date  given  is  that  of  the 
earliest  papers  in  that  series,  although  papers  of  earlier  date  relating 
to  the  same  Indians  may  sometimes  be  found  in  some  other  series. 


Alaska,  1873-1874, 

Arizona,  1863, 

Blackfeet,  1865-1868, 

Caddo,  1831-1848;  1864, 

Cahfornia,  1849, 

Central  Superintendency,  1851, 

Cherokee,   1800-1875, 

Cheyenne,  1871, 

Cheyenne  and  Arapahoe,  1875, 

Chicago,  1831-1839, 

Chickasaw,  1831-1868, 

Chippewa,  1851, 

Choctaw,  1831, 

Choctaw  and  Chickasaw,  1801-1830, 

Colorado,  1861, 


Council  Bluffs,  1835-1856, 
Creek,  1809-1876, 
Crow  Creek,  1871-1876, 
Crow  Wing,  1817-1819, 
Dakota,  1861, 
Delaware,  1855-1872, 
Devil's  Lake,  1871, 
Flandreau,  1873-1876, 
Florida,    1826-1850    (1843-1846   miss- 
ing)* 
Fort  Berthold,  1867, 
Fort  Leavensworth,  1831-1851, 
Grand  River,  1871-1874, 
Great  Nemaha,  1837-1870, 
Green  Bay,  1831, 


148 


DEPARTMENT   OF    THE   INTERIOR. 


Idaho,  1863, 

Indiana,  1831-1846, 

Iowa,  1831-i846, 

Kansas,  1851-1875, 

Kickapoo,  1855-1875, 

Kiowa,  1864, 

La  Pointe,  1831, 

Lower  Brule,  1876, 

Mackinaw,  1835, 

Mandan,  1831-1850, 

Miami,  1846-1850, 

Michigan,  1824-1851, 

Minnesota,  1849-1856, 

Montana,  1864, 

Neasho,  1831-1874, 

Nebraska,  1876, 

Nevada,  1861, 

New  Mexico,  1851, 

New  York,  1865, 

North  Carolina,  1876, 

Northern  Superintendency,  1851-1876, 

Ohio,  1831-1843, 

Omaha,  1855-1876, 

Oregon,  1842, 

Osage,   1831, 

Osage  River,  1831-1872, 

Otoe,  1856-1876, 

Ottawa,  1863-1872, 

Pawnee,  1859, 

Pima,   1859-1861, 

Ponca,  1859, 

Pottawatomie,  1848, 

Prairie  du  Chien,  1831-1842, 

Quapaw,  1871, 

Raccoon  River,  1843-1845, 


Red  Cloud,  1871, 

Sac  and  Fox,  1831, 

Saginaw,  1837-1846, 

St.  Louis,  1824-1851, 

St.  Peters,  1831-1876, 

Sandy  Lake,  1850-1851, 

Santa  Fe,  1849-1850, 

Santee,  1871-1876, 

Sault  St.  Marie,  1836-1852, 

Schools,  1819-1873, 

Seminoles,  1843-1876, 

Shawnee,  1855-1875, 

Sisseton,  1867, 

Southern  Superintendency,  1851-1870, 

Spotted  Tail,  1875, 

Standing  Rock,  1875, 

Stocks,  1836-1873  (Indian  trust 

funds), 
Texas,  1847-1859, 
Turkey  River,  1843-1846, 
Union,  1875, 

Upper  Arkansas,  1855-1874, 
Upper  Missouri,  1831-1874, 
Upper  Platte,  1846-1870, 
Utah,  1849, 
Washington,  1853, 

Western  Superintendency,  1833-1851, 
Whetstone,  1871-1874, 
White  River,  1875, 
Wichita,  1857-1878, 
Winnebago,  1846-1876, 
Wisconsin,  1836-1850, 
Wyandotte,  1843-1872, 
Wyoming,  1869, 
Yankton,   1859. 


2,  Letters  Sent,  1800  to  date. 

The  letters  sent  are  in  letter  books  and  are  arranged  in  various  series 
to  1886.  Since  1886  the  "Letter  Press  Books"  of  the  various  divi- 
sions of  the  Indian  Office  are  the  sole  authority  for  outgoing  letters. 
The  earlier  series  are  as  follows: 

(a)  November,  1800,  to  April,  1824  (7  vols.),  containing  both  letters 
sent  and  the  text  of  Indian  treaties. 

(6)  October,  1807,  to  April,  1818  (4  vols.). 

(c)  "General"  Letter  Books,  1824  to  January,  1886  (200  vols.). 
In  1869  these  books  began  to  be  designated  by  the  divisions  handling 
the  various  subjects. 


BUREAU   OF   PENSIONS,  149 

(d)  "Removal  and  Subsistence  of  Indians",  1830-1836  (4  vols.). 

(e)  Chickasaw  Letter  Books,  1832-1861   (3  vols.). 

(f)  A  small  volume  containing  both  letters  sent  and  received,  1835- 
1836. 

8.  Miscellaneous  Files,  1801-1880. 

These  files  contain  letters  from  chiefs  to  the  President  or  Secretary 
of  War,  schemes  of  Friends  and  others  for  civilizing  the  Indians, 
speeches  of  Indian  chiefs  and  talks  by  agents,  together  with  much 
other  interesting  and  curious  material.  There  are  but  300  papers  of 
earlier  date  than  1824,  and  but  twenty-four  file-cases  of  papers  between 
1824  and  1880. 

4.  Agents*  Ledgers,  1808-1822. 

These  contain  invoices  of  goods  sent  on  accomit  of  the  government 
from  trading  houses  to  the  agents  for  "  Indian  factories  ".  The  in- 
voices contain  some  valuable  information  as  to  the  prices  of  peltries 
(raccoon,  cat,  fox,  beaver,  bear,  otter,  wolf,  panther,  elk,  etc.)  at  the 
stations  of  New  Orleans,  Choctaw,  Arkansas,  Natchitoches,  Fort 
Osage,  St.  Louis,  Chickasaw  Bluffs,  Fort  Wayne,  Sandusky,  and  Fort 
Madison. 

5.  Claims  Files,  1832  to  date. 

These  are  arranged  numerically  and  indexed  by  names.  They  con- 
sist of  invoices  and  of  affidavits  and  statements  made  by  persons  who 
have  sold  goods  to  the  United  States  for  the  Indian  agencies. 

6.  Report  Booh,  1838-1885  (6Jf.  vols.). 
Lands  Division. 

The  Lands  Division  contains,  in  addition  to  its  "  General  Files  "  and 
a  vast  amount  of  unclassified  material  relating  to  the  removal  and  the 
lands  of  the  southern  and  northwestern  tribes,  a  class  of  **  Special 
Files  "y  contained  in  cupboards,  entitled  "  Reservation  Letters  of 
Creeks  ",  "  Emigration  Letters  of  Creeks  ",  "  Reservation  and  Emigra- 
tion Letters  "  of  Choctaws,  Chickasaws,  and  Cherokees,  respectively. 
All  of  this  material  relates  to  the  Indians  east  of  the  Mississippi. 

BUREAU   OF    PENSIONS. 

The  office  of  the  Commissioner  of  Pensions  was  created  in  the  War 
Department  in  1833  (4  Stat.  L.  622),  but  became  a  bureau  in  the 
Interior  Department  in  1849.  For  a  brief  statement  of  the  legal  his- 
tory of  the  office  see  **  A  Digest  of  the  Pension  Laws,  Decisions,  Rul- 
ings,  Orders,   etc.",   by   Frank   B.    Curtis    and   William   H.   Webster 


150  DEPARTMENT   OF    THE   INTERIOR. 

(Washington,  1885,  pp.  7-10).  The  "  Digest  of  Pension  and  Bounty- 
Land  Decisions  ",  by  William  L.  Chitty  and  John  W.  Bixler  (Washing- 
ton, 1897)  contains  (introduction,  cxxvii-cxxxvi)  "A  Brief  History 
of  the  Origin  and  Development  of  the  Pension  System  of  the  United 
States  ".  The  principal  work  of  the  bureau  consists  in  the  examina- 
tion and  adjudication  of  all  claims  for  pensions  based  on  services 
rendered  in  all  wars  of  the  United  States.  For  the  execution  of  this 
business  the  bureau  is  divided  into  a  large  number  of  divisions,  whose 
duties  are  as  follows: 

The  Appointment  Division  has  charge  of  all  papers  relating  to 
appointments,  promotions,  pay-rolls,  etc.,  of  the  employees  in  the 
bureau  and  various  agencies. 

The  Mail  Division  receives,  stamps,  and  distributes  all  mail  coming 
to  the  bureau,  and  has  charge  of  despatching  all  outgoing  mail. 

The  Record  Division  receives  all  applications  for  pensions  as  they 
come  from  the  Mail  Division,  examines  them  to  determine  whether  they 
are  properly  made,  makes  a  record  of  them  and  of  all  papers  and 
documents  filed  with  them,  gives  each  claim  a  number,  jackets  it,  to- 
gether with  all  papers  relating  to  it,  and  then  sends  it  to  the  proper 
division  for  adjudication.  Thus,  while  the  original  application  and 
the  papers  connected  therewith  do  not  remain  in  this  division,  there  is 
preserved  here  a  complete  record  of  them.  This  division  also  collects 
the  names  and  addresses  of  survivors  and  keeps  such  other  records 
pertaining  to  soldiers  and  applicants  for  pensions  as  may  be  desirable. 
After  a  claim  has  been  recorded  and  jacketed  in  the  Record  Division 
it  passes  to  one  of  the  adjudicating  divisions.  These  are  five  in  num- 
ber, and  divide  among  them  the  various  kinds  of  claims. 

The  Old  War  and  Navy  Division  adjudicates  all  Navy  claims  and 
all  Army  claims  based  on  service  prior  to  March  4,  1861 ;  i.  e,,  service 
in  the  Revolutionary  War,  the  War  of  1812,  in  the  Indian  wars,  and  in 
the  Mexican  War. 

The  Army  Division  adjudicates  claims  for  service  in  the  Regular 
Army  after  March  4,  1861 ;  i.  e.,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  Veteran  Vol- 
unteers (Hancock's  Corps),  United  States  Volunteers  (Recruits  from 
Confederate  Regiments),  Provost  Marshals'  Department,  Generals  and 
Staff  Officers  of  Volunteers,  Mississippi  Marine  Brigade,  Ram  Fleet, 
Miscellaneous  United  States  Organizations  and  Officers,  War  with 
Spain,  and  Philippines  and  other  Insurrections. 

The  claims  based  on  services  in  volunteer  organizations  during  the 
Civil  War  are  adjudicated  according  to  locality  by  the  Eastern  Divi- 
sion: New  England,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware, 


BUREAU   OF   PENSIONS.  151 

and  Michigan.  Western  Division:  Indiana,  Illinois,  Iowa,  Wisconsin, 
Minnesota,  Ohio,  North  Dakota,  South  Dakota,  Kansas,  Nebraska, 
Colorado,  Nevada,  California,  Oregon,  Wyoming,  Idaho,  Montana, 
Washington,  and  the  Territories.  Southern  Division:  District  of 
Columbia,  Maryland,  Virginia,  West  Virginia,  Kentucky,  Tennessee, 
Missouri,  Arkansas,  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Florida, 
Alabama,  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  Texas,  and  United  States  colored 
troops. 

When  a  claim  is  received  in  one  of  these  divisions  from  the  Record 
Division  it  is  placed  in  what  are  known  as  the  "  pending  files  "  of  that 
division,  while  all  necessary  additional  information  relating  to  it  is 
being  obtained.  This  additional  information  consists  of  the  military 
history  of  the  person  upon  whose  services  the  claim  is  based,  which  is 
obtained  from  the  Record  and  Pension  Office  of  the  War  Department, 
or  from  the  Navy  or  the  Treasury  Department;  of  the  record  of  what 
physical  examinations  are  made;  of  whatever  evidence  the  records  of 
the  Pension  Bureau  may  contain;  and  of  additional  evidence  called  for 
by  the  division  from  the  claimant  or  the  claimant's  attorney.  When 
at  last  the  necessary  information  has  been  collected,  the  claim,  to- 
gether with  all  the  papers  relating  to  it,  is  placed  in  the  "  completed 
files  ",  from  which  it  is  taken  in  its  turn  to  be  examined  and  recom- 
mended for  admission  or  rejection.  The  Board  of  Review  then  passes 
upon  the  case,  and  if  it  is  admitted  it  is  sent  to  the  Certificate  Division, 
where  the  proper  record  is  made  and  the  certificate  is  issued.  It  then 
passes  to  the  "  admitted  files  ",  where  it  remains  permanently.  (It 
should  be  noted,  however,  that  all  cases  adjudicated  by  the  Old  War 
and  Navy  Division  are  permanently  filed  in  that  division:  the  "ad- 
mitted files  "  contain  the  admitted  cases  adjudicated  by  the  other  divi- 
sions.) If,  however,  the  case  is  rejected  by  the  Board  of  Review,  it 
is  returned  to  the  adjudicating  division  from  which  it  was  submitted, 
and  is  filed  there. 

The  Law  Division  has  charge  of  all  questions  of  law,  including  mar- 
riage, divorce,  and  guardianship;  prepares  criminal  cases  for  prosecu- 
tion; takes  cognizance  of  all  questions  pertaining  to  attorneys  prac- 
ticing before  the  bureau;  attends  to  new  pension  laws  and  private  acts 
of  Congress;  and  prepares  legal  opinions. 

The  Medical  Division  keeps  records  of  all  examinations  ordered  by 
the  bureau;  keeps  on  file  the  record-books  returned  by  the  examining 
surgeons ;  determines  the  proper  rate  of  pension ;  and  in  general  super- 
vises the  work  of  the  examining  surgeons. 

The  Special-Examination  Division  takes  charge  of  such  claims  as 


UNIVERSITY 


152  DEPARTMENT   OF   THE   INTERIOR. 

are  referred  to  it  which  require  special  examination  in  the  field,  as  for 
example,  when  fraudulent  practices  are  suspected. 

The  Finance  Division  has  charge  of  all  appropriations  for  the  pay- 
ment of  pensions  and  of  the  expenses  connected  with  the  pension  ser- 
vice, and  keeps  all  the  accounts,  vouchers,  records,  etc.,  relating  thereto. 

For  fuller  accounts  of  the  duties  of  the  various  divisions  and  of  the 
methods  of  procedure  see  "  A  Treatise  on  the  Practice  of  the  Pension 
Bureau  "  (Washington,  1898)  ;  also  the  annual  reports  of  the  Commis- 
sioner of  Pensions,  especially  that  for  1902. 

The  above  somewhat  detailed  account  of  the  duties  and  practice  of 
the  Pension  Bureau  has  been  included  in  this  report  for  the  purpose  of 
making  clear  the  character  of  the  files  of  the  various  divisions.  It 
thus  is  seen  that  the  great  mass  of  the  files  consists  of  the  claims  and 
the  papers  relating  to  them,  and  that  they  are  kept  in  the  five  adjudi- 
cating divisions,  and  in  the  "  admitted  files  "  under  the  supervision  of 
the  chief  clerk.  The  financial  accounts  are  preserved  in  the  Finance 
Division;  the  records  relating  to  legal  questions  are  filed  in  the  Law 
Division;  while  the  Record  Division  contains  the  records  of  claims 
(distinguished  from  the  claims  papers  themselves), , the  state  service 
records,  and  the  records  of  Army  and  Navy  survivors. 

There  are  various  published  compilations  noted  here  because  they 
make  accessible  the  records  of  most  importance  from  a  legal  stand- 
point: "  Army  and  Navy  Pension  Laws,  1776—1852  ",  by  R.  Mayo  and 
F.  Moulton  (Washington,  1852;  2d  edition,  Baltimore,  1854);  "Ab- 
stracts of  Rulings  and  Orders  of  the  Commissioner  of  Pensions " 
(Washington,  1872);  "Digest  of  Pension  Laws,  Decisions,  Rulings, 
Orders,  etc.",  by  F.  B.  Curtis  and  W.  H.  Webster  (Washington,  1885)  ; 
"  Digest  of  Pension  and  Bounty-Land  Decisions  ",  by  W.  L.  Chitty 
and  J.  W.  Bixler  (Washington,  1897) ;  "  Decisions  of  the  Department 
of  the  Interior  in  Appealed  Pension  and  Bounty-Land  Claims  ",  1887- 
1903  (13  vols.,  Washington). 

As  is  evident  from  the  foregoing  description,  the  files  have  for  the 
most  part  little  historical  value:  the  claims-papers  and  supporting  evi- 
dence have  in  general  only  a  personal  or  genealogical  interest.  It 
frequently  happens,  however,  that  in  support  of  some  claim  documents 
of  considerable  value  are  filed;  especially  is  this  true  of  the  claims 
filed  in  the  Old  War  and  Navy  Division,  which  contains  all  the  files 
of  the  bureau  antedating  1861.  For  some  time  it  has  been  the  policy 
of  those  in  charge  of  this  division  to  segregate  such  documents  as  ap- 
pear to  be  of  especial  interest,  and  through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Bryant, 
chief  of  the  division,  a  list  of  such  documents  is  included  in  this  report 


BUREAU   OF   PENSIONS.  I53 

and  will  be  found  below.  It  should  be  understood  that  the  documents 
listed  are  by  no  means  all  those  of  value  in  the  files  of  the  division,  but 
only  such  as  have  been  segregated.  Further  search  would  doubtless 
reveal  many  more,  but  the  great  bulk  of  the  files  rendered  such  search 
impracticable  for  the  purposes  of  this  report.  While  the  files  of  this 
division,  on  account  of  their  age,  contain  probably  the  most  valuable 
documents,  nevertheless  it  is  doubtless  true  that  the  files  of  the  other 
adjudicating  divisions  would  be  found  upon  thorough  investigation  to 
contain  many  documents  and  papers  of  value  for  military  history  sub- 
sequent to  1861.  Such  a  search  at  this  time  and  for  this  report,  how- 
ever, is  impossible. 

It  is  difficult  to  form  an  estimate  of  the  bulk  of  the  files  of  the 
Pension  Bureau.  In  1902  the  "pending  files"  contained  339,436 
cases,  and  the  **  admitted  files  ",  exclusive  of  Old  War  and  Navy  claims, 
contained  1,580,879  cases;  in  other  words,  the  papers  and  documents 
connected  with  all  the  pending  claims  and  with  most  of  the  admitted 
claims  weigh  approximately  500  tons.  To  this  amount  should  be  added 
the  files  of  rejected  claims  and  of  admitted  Old  War  and  Navy  claims, 
of  which  there  are  hundreds  of  thousands;  the  correspondence  (in  the 
year  1901-1902  alone  the  bureau  received  over  100,000  communications 
from  Congress,  nearly  500,000  miscellaneous  letters,  and  over  31,000 
communications  from  the  departments;  it  sent  over  1,600,000  letters  of 
various  kinds) ;  and  various  other  records  and  files.  Work  in  this 
bureau  by  the  investigator  is  practicable  only  when,  as  in  the  Old  War 
and  Navy  Division,  valuable  documents  have  already  been  segregated. 

The  files  of  the  bureau  include  papers  and  documents  from  1775  to 
date,  but  the  larger  part  of  the  files  do  not  antedate  1861.  There  have 
been  no  losses  except  those  resulting  from  the  official  destruction  of 
books  and  papers  regarded  as  valueless  (see  H.  Doc.  273,  56  Cong., 
2  sess.,  and  H.  Doc.  415,  57  Cong.,  1  sess.). 

Following  is  a  list  of  the  documents  of  historical  value  that  have 
been  segregated  from  the  regular  files  of  the  Old  War  and  Navy  Divi- 
sion. They  consist  mostly  of  orderly  books,  accounts,  diaries,  and  cor- 
respondence. They  are  arranged  in  the  list  below  by  states,  and  under 
each  state  in  approximately  chronological  order;  the  parenthetic  num- 
bers indicate  the  location  of  the  various  documents  in  the  files. 

New  Hampshire. 
1.   1782-1783.     Receipt  book  of  Thomas   Blake,   Paymaster  of  the 
First  New  Hampshire;  of  no  apparent  value  (38). 


154  DEPARTMENT   OF   THE   INTERIOR. 

Massachusetts. 

1.  May  12  to  August  25,  1775.     Orderly  books  and  roll  of  Captain 

William  Reed's  company,  Roxbury  and  Dorchester  (62). 

2.  June,  1775.     Description  of  death  of  General  Warren,  by  an  eye 

witness  (19,975). 

3.  July    8    to    October    8,    1775.     Orderly    book,    William    Wallcer, 

Charleston. 

4.  August    10,    1775,   to   January   6,    1776.     Two   orderly  books   of 

Adjutant  Jeremiah  Niles,  Headquarters;  records  of  many  courts- 
martial  (33  and  14). 

5.  1776.     Diary    of    Nehemiah    Gallup,    of    Connecticut,    containing 

account  of  march  of  Captain  Holmes's  Company  of  Groton  to 
White  Plains  (13,110). 

6.  August,    1777.     Orderly  book   of   Colonel   Jonathan   Eddy,   com- 

manding at  Machias  (29). 

7.  1777-1778.     Orderly  book  of  Thomas  Cole,  Headquarters,  Boston 

(68). 

8.  1778.     Two  order  books  of  Caleb  Boynton;  Colonel  Thomas  Wil- 

liams's company,  and  Colonel  Ezra  Wood's  regiment  (regular 
file  1,113). 

9.  August  8,  1778,  to  January  28,  1779.     Orderly  book  of  Adjutant 

Richard  Buckmaster,  Headquarters   (39). 

10.  1778-1782.     Receipt-book  of  Lieutenant  and  Quartermaster  Wil- 

liam Taylor,  Second  Massachusetts  Regiment;  suggests  the 
character  of  the  supplies  (49). 

11.  July  29,  1779,  to  July  25,  1780.     Returns  of  Sixth  Massachusetts 

Battalion,  Samuel  Frost,  Lieutenant  and  Adjutant;  diagram 
showing  disposition  of  American  and  French  forces  under  Wash- 
ington, Howe,  and  Rochambeau,  August  1,  1781   (20). 

12.  1780-1782.     Quartermaster's  book.  Eighth  Massachusetts;  returns 

of  army  stores,  etc.,  giving  names  of  captains  {S5^. 

13.  1781-1783.     Official  correspondence  relating  to  minor  operations 

about  Dobbs  Ferry;  Captain  John  Pray,  First  Massachusetts 
Regiment;  also  articles  of  capitulation  agreed  upon  at  the  sur- 
render of  Fort  Ames,  October  10,  1780  (Widow's  File  16,378). 

14.  1780—1784.     Account  of  articles  of  clothing  allowed  Captain  E. 

Smith's  company.  Thirteenth  Massachusetts,  containing  rolls  of 
members  of  company  (45). 

15.  1781—1798.     Memorandum-book,    register    of   marriages,    etc.,    of 

Jonathan  Eddy  as  justice  of  the  peace. 


BUREAU   OF   PENSIONS.  I55 

16.  January  10-April  8,  1782.     Orderly-book  of  Lieutenant  and  Ad- 

jutant Francis  Tufts,  Eighth  Massachusetts,  in  garrison,  Boston 
Highlands. 

17.  1804-1814.     Company-book,    First    Regiment,    Second    Brigade, 

Falmouth,  Robert  Anderson,  clerk  of  company;  contains  rolls, 
orders,  records,  etc.,  of  the  Falmouth  company  (23). 

18.  1810-1828.     Orderly-book   for  the  first  company  of  infantry  in 

the  town  of  Buckstown,  Massachusetts. 

19.  1814-1820.     Roll  and  orderly-book  of  Captain  Amos  Pratt's  com- 

pany of  Whately;  mostly  orders  while  encamped  at  South  Bos- 
ton, September  15  to  October  28,  1814,  as  a  part  of  General 
Maltby's  Brigade;  rolls  and  records  as  a  militia  company,  end- 
ing May  20,  1820  (16). 

Bhode  Island. 

1.  Detailed  account  of  the  capture  of  the  British  general  Prescott  in 

Rhode  Island,  by  Colonel  Barton  (20,398). 

2.  October  2  to  October  26,  1777.     Orderly-book  of  Major-General 

Joseph  Spencer,  and  correspondence  between  Brigadier  Major 
Joseph  Palmer  and  General  Spencer,  Tiverton;  letters  concern- 
ing the  Burgoyne  campaign  (64). 

3.  1779-1780.     Orderly-book  of  Nicholas  Alger,  Colonel  Topham's 

regiment,  April  12  to  November  25,  1779,  and  weekly  returns 
of  First  Company,  August,  1779,  to  July,  1780  (51). 

4.  May  1,  1779,  to  March  1,  1780.     Orders,  daily  instructions,  court- 

martial  proceedings,  and  general  diary.  Colonel  Topham's  regi- 
ment (1). 

5.  October,  1785.     Names  of  officers  and  soldiers  commanded  by  Col- 

onels Robert  Elliott,  John  Topham,  and  Archibald  Crary,  with 
balances  of  depreciation  reported  by  a  committee  to  be  due  (37). 

Connecticut. 

1.  1775.     Company  rolls  and  part  of  orderly-book;  Captains  Josiah 

Baldwin's  and  Shipman's  companies.  Sixth  and  Seventh  Connec- 
ticut regiments  (16,243). 

2.  June  3,  1775,  to  October  7,  1775.     Orderly-book  of  Colonel  David 

Waterbury's  regiment,  kept  on  a  march  from  Stamford,  Connec- 
ticut, to  Ticonderoga,  and  back  (21). 

3.  July  31,  1775,  to  October  22,  1775.     Journal  of  Captain  Joseph 

Smith's  company.  Colonel  David  Waterbury's  regiment;  about 
twenty  pages,  of  little  interest  (10). 


156  DEPARTMENT   OF   THE   INTERIOR. 

4.  August  5,  1775,  to  December  13,  1775.     Diary  of  Lieutenant  Jabez 

Fitch,  Jr.,  Captain  Jewett's  company,  Colonel  Huntington's 
regiment,  full  of  detail  and  human  interest  (55). 

5.  September  7  to  November  30,  1775.     Ephraim  Squier's  diary  of 

march  in  Arnold's  expedition  to  Quebec  (10,026). 

6.  1776  to  1782.     Account-book  of  Captain  Edward  Rogers;  a  very 

confused  record. 

7.  April,  1776.     Personal  account-book  of  Colonel  David  Waterbury, 

showing  accounts  between  himself  and  members  of  his  regiment, 
as  well  as  an  account  of  the  military  equipment  supplied  to  his 
men,  with  a  history  of  his  service,  written  by  his  son  (4). 

8.  July  15  to  October  12,  1776.     Orderly-book  of  Ebenezer  Adams, 

Captain  Grosvenor's  company.  Colonel  Durkee's  regiment,  at 
Fort  Constitution;  about  fifty  pages   (46). 

9.  1777.     Nehemiah  Wadsworth's  accounts  with  teamsters  employed 

by  him;  of  no  value  (48). 
10.  August  15  to  September  20,  1780.     Sergeant  Benjamin  Carson's 
orderly-book  (34). 

New  York. 

1.  1775-1777.     Major-General    Schuyler's    ledger,    1 775-1 1 77,    and 

account  book  April  30  to  August  18,  1777  (68  and  12). 

2.  November  8,   1775,  to  February  26,   1776.     Orders,  instructions, 

and  general  diary  showing  daily  paroles,  countersigns,  etc.,  of 
Arnold's  expedition  to  Canada  (19,049). 

3.  1775.     Order-book  of  Lieutenant  Benjamin  Evans,  Second  New 

York,  begun  December,  1775;  very  interesting  (24,131). 

4.  1776.      Roll  and  accounts  of  Captain   Samuel  Potter's   company. 

Colonel  E.  Dayton's  regiment;  also  personal  accounts  to  1808 

(-!)■ 

5.  May  14  to  June  24,  1776.     Captain  Hyatt's  orderly-book  (40). 

6.  July  4  to  September  22,  1776.     Orderly-book  of  Lieutenant-Col- 

onel James  Roberts,  Ticonderoga,  and  Colonels  Wigglesworth, 
Reed,  Woodbridge,  and  Phinney  (26). 

7.  July  30  to  October  15,  1776.     Orderly-book  of  Captain  Warnert's 

company.  Colonel  Holman's  regiment  (17). 

8.  August    17    to    October    5,    1776.     Orderly-book,    Headquarters, 

King's  Bridge,  New  York;  interesting  record  of  orders  and 
courts -martial,  measures  of  army  discipline,  preparations  for 
attack,  etc.;  no  important  engagements  (15). 


BUREAU   OF   PENSIONS.  157 

9.  August  16  to  September  14,  1776.  Orderly-book  of  Captain 
William  Brown;  interesting  details,  routine  orders,  etc.;  no  en- 
gagements (30). 

10.  September  24,  1778,  to  July  9,  1779.     Orderly-book,  West  Point 

and  vicinity.  New  York,  Danbury,  Hartford,  Peekskill,  and  Mid- 
dlebrook;  complete  and  valuable,  but  with  no  details  aside  from 
orders  (31). 

11.  May  31   to  October   17,   1779.     Orderly-book  of  Captain   James 

Gregg;  a  confused  and  irregular  orderly-book,  but  of  some  value 
(47). 

12.  1781.     Receipt-book  of  Ebenezer  Mott,  Quartermaster  of  Colonel 

Weisenfel's  regiment  (58). 

13.  1782—1784.     Receipt-book  and  abstracts  of  Lieutenant  and  Quar- 

termaster Lawrence  Tremper,  Colonel  Willet's  regiment;  and 
personal  diary  for  March  23,  1783,  to  November,  1784  (50,  61, 
and  19). 

14.  1788-1791.     Day-book  of  Eli  Wood,  New  York,  and  a  portion  of 

the  family  record  (66). 
New  Jersey. 

1.  1776.     Orderly-book  and  account-book  of  William  Walton,  Cap- 

tain Henderson's  company.  Headquarters,  Long  Island,  1776; 
General  Greene's  orders  July  10-18,  1776;  accounts,  apparently 
private,  1776-1800  (42). 

2.  1777.     Receipt-book    of    Colonel    Gilbert    Cooper;    also    contains 

statements  of  allegiance  to  the  states,  with  subscriptions 
thereto  (53). 

3.  May  to  August,  1779.     Journal  including  two  rolls  of  men,  kept 

by  Michael  Errickson,  Captain  John  Burrowe's  Company,  and 
Colonel  Oliver  Spencer's  Regiment,  Fourth  New  Jersey  In- 
fantry. 

4.  1784.     "  Book  of  marginals  of  notes  given  in  payment  of  the  sums 

due  to  the  militia  troops  raised  for  the  defence  of  the  frontier 
of  New  Jersey.     Copied   from  the  margins   belonging  to  the 
office  of  the  treasurer  of  the  said  state  ". 
Pennsylvania. 

1.  August  to  December,  1776.     Account-book  of  Captain  John  Soder; 

no  detailed  items  (54). 

2.  November    10,    1777,   to   May    10,    1778.     Letter-book   of    Major 

James  A.  Wilson,  commandant  of  garrison  at  Carlisle,  containing 
correspondence  with  members  of  Board  of  War,  officers,  and 
others,  relating  to  public  business,  supplies,  recruits,  etc.   (57). 


158  DEPARTMENT   OF    THE   INTERIOR. 

3.  1777-1811.     Receipt-book   of   Captain   John   Whitman;   of   little 

value  (59). 

4.  April   27,    1779,   to   February   27,    1781.     Receipt-book   of   John 

Weitzel,  Commissioner  of  Issues;  of  little  value  (27). 

5.  1779-1782.     Quartermasters'     records;     memorandum     books     of 

William  Bauseman,  and  records  of  team  service  (6,  60,  and  43). 

6.  July-October,  1780.     Three  orderly-books  of  the  Tenth  Pennsyl- 

vania; containing  marching  orders,  records  of  courts -martial, 
etc.;  no  engagements  recorded  (9,  18,  and  22). 

7.  July  24  to  August  23,   1780.     Orderly-book  of  James   McLean, 

Lieutenant  and  Adjutant,  Peekskill  and  Orangetown;  of  value, 
200  pages. 

8.  1781-1802.     Docket  of  Justice  of  Peace,  probably  Northumber- 

land County,  271  pages   (67). 

9.  1782.     Personal  account  and  orderly-book  of  Captain  Mark  Har- 

din, captain  of  pack-horses ;  contains  some  genealogical  data,  but 

otherwise  of  no  value  (8). 
10.  July  7  to  August  3,  1783.     Diary  by  unknown  person,  of  General 

Ephraim  Douglas's  trip,  as  bearer  of  the  news  of  the  restoration 

of  peace,  to  the  military  posts  on  the  northwestern   frontier; 

largely  descriptions  of  travel  with  good  account  of  reception  by 

Delawares    and    Wyandottes;    ends    half-mile   before    reaching 

Detroit  (56). 
Virginia. 

1.  1776-1782.     Rolls   of  Captain   John   Morton's   company.   Fourth 

Virginia,  June  28  to  August  28,  1776,  and  accounts  of  provisions 
gathered  in  Prince  Edward  County,  1780-1782   (11). 

2.  May  21,  1777,  to  January  3,  1778.     Orderly-book  and  account- 

book  of  Captain  John  Brown,  Virginia;  in  camp  at  Philadelphia 
and  Valley  Forge  (52). 

3.  October  17  to  December  8,  1778.     Account-book  and  orderly-books 

of  Captain  McCready,  Colonel  Hugh  Stevenson's  regiment,  Vir- 
ginia and  Maryland  Rifle  Corps;  interesting  details  of  camp  life 
(24  and  5). 

4.  Claims   against  Virginia.     One  large  volume  of    (a)    transcripts 

relating  to  the  claims  against  Virginia  assumed  by  the  United 
States  on  the  transfer  of  the  Northwest  Territory;  (6)  returns 
of  officers  in  actual  service  and  of  supernumeraries,  Illinois 
^  regiment,  1782;  (c)  correspondence  relating  to  claims  against 
Virginia  and  to  Virginia  troops  in  the  Northwest  before  1781; 
(d)  instructions  to  G.  R.  Clark,  1778-1781. 


BUREAU   OF   PENSIONS.  I59 

5.  1779.     Account-book  of  James  Hunt,  of  no  apparent  value  (28). 

6.  March  4  to  April  10,  1781.     Orderly-book  of  Adjutant  John  Piper, 

of  the   Prince  William   and   Fairfax   Militia,   at   Williamsburg 
(32). 

7.  1812—1821.     An  account  of  the  military  proceedings  in  the  county 

of  Kanawha,  kept  by  Colonel  John  Stark,  Henry  White,  and 
Matthew  Dunbar;  records  of  proceedings  at  meetings  of  militia, 
and  records  of  musters,  fines  for  non-attendance,  etc.   (65). 
North  Carolina. 

1.  Private  journal  and  letters  of  Captain  Abraham  Phillips,  during 

the  Revolutionary  War  (8,184). 

2.  G.  B.  Dubley's  letter  narrating  Greene's  campaign  in  North  Caro- 

lina (8,681). 

3.  1799—1804.     "Journal   of  occurrences",   some  twenty   pages   of 

fragmentary  records   of  dealings  with  the   Indians,   especially 

with  the  Cherokees  (41). 
South  Carolina. 
1.  Interesting  narrative  by  T.  Dennis  of  his  services  in  the  partizan 

warfare   in   South   Carolina,   including  the   battle   of   Cowpens 

(10,672). 
Miscellaneous. 

1.  Letters. 

Clinton;  August  2,  1776. 

Bensted,  Alexander;  August  21,  1776. 

Washington,  George;  February  27,  1778;  March  9,  1778  (both 
from  Valley  Forge,  file  No.  16,711);  June  26,  1778,  with 
address  to  Friends  of  America  at  Trenton  of  December  31, 
1776  (No.  4,607);  August  3,  1779  (No.  18,087);  May  26, 
1780  (No.  16,711);  June  27,  1781;  July  21,  1781. 

Henry,  James  M.;  May  30,  1778. 

Greene,  General;  January  29,  1780;  March  5,  1782. 

Livingston,  Governor;  November  20,  1780;  June  5,  1781. 

Pickering,  General  Timothy;  December  14,  1780. 

2.  May,  1775.     Josiah  Demming  describes  the  dispute  between  Bene- 

dict Arnold  and  Ethan  Allen  as  to  command  (23,207). 

3.  1776.     Account  of  the  treatment  of  prisoners  who  surrendered  at 

Fort  Washington  on  November  16,  1776  (8,256). 

4.  1778-1780.     Accounts  of  Julius  Deming,  Commissioner  of  Issues, 

with  Henry  Champion  (13). 


160  DEPARTMENT   OF   THE   INTERIOR. 

5.  1781.     List  of  American  prisoners  exchanged  (one  small  volume)  ; 

this  list  gives  the  name,  rank,  date  of  commission,  corps,  date 
and  place  of  capture  of  the  prisoners  to  be  exchanged,  and  the 
conditions  agreed  upon. 

6.  1780.     Returns  of  provisions  and  stores  by  Samuel  H.  Phillips, 

Commissary-General,  February, March,  April,  and  May  (17,018). 

7.  1781.     Account  of  Cornwallis's  surrender  (18,977). 

8.  A   list   of   the    officers    and   men    on   the    United    States    frigate 

"Adams"  for  the  year  1800  (3). 

GENERAL   LAND   OFFICE. 

The  General  Land  Office  as  a  distinct  bureau  was  created  in  the 
Treasury  Department  in  1812  (2  Stat.  L.  716).  Its  duties,  prior  to 
that  time,  had  been  performed  by  the  various  departments,  especially 
by  the  Treasury  and  War  Departments  (1  Stat.  L.  49,  65,  467;  2  ibid., 
75,  282).  In  1849  the  office  vras  transferred  to  the  Interior  Depart- 
ment. The  General  Land  Office  transacts  or  supervises  all  the  business 
relating  to  the  survey,  disposition,  and  patenting  of  the  public  lands, 
and  holds  the  records  of  title  to  aU  the  public  domain.  At  present  it 
is  divided  into  thirteen  divisions  for  the  transaction  of  its  business. 
For  a  history  of  the  office  and  of  the  administration  of  the  public  lands 
reference  is  made  to  "  The  Public  Domain  ",  by  Thomas  Donaldson 
(H.  Ex.  Doc.  47,  46  Cong.,  3  sess.,  part  4,  especially  chapter  vi). 
The  duties  of  the  various  divisions  are  fully  described  in  the  annual 
reports  of  the  Commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Office. 

In  general  the  records  and  files  of  the  Land  Office  are  of  great  im- 
portance, constituting,  as  they  have  been  said  to,  the  "  Domesday  Book 
of  the  Public  Domain  of  the  United  States  ".  They  are  considered 
more  fully  below  under  the  various  divisions  of  the  office.  The  office 
has  no  files,  so  far  as  shown  by  this  investigation,  prior  to  1792,  and 
in  the  fire  of  1814  the  military  warrants  that  had  been  located  and 
patented,  and  the  final  certificates  and  other  papers  relating  to  pur- 
chased lands  that  had  been  patented,  were  burned  ("  American  State 
Papers,  Miscellaneous ",  II,  248).  Certain  papers  have  also  been 
destroyed  as  useless  (H.  Doc.  273,  56  Cong.,  2  sess.;  H.  Doc.  415,  57 
Cong.,  1  sess.).  A  great  deal  of  material,  especially  the  correspond- 
ence of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  prior  to  1849,  relating  to  public 
lands,  is  filed  in  the  Division  of  Mail  and  Files  of  the  Office  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  As  a  whole  the  records  of  the  General 
Land  Office  are  remarkably  complete.     The  bulk  of  the  files  of  the 


GENERAL    LAND    OFFICE.  161 

office  is  too  great  to  be  readily  estimated;  a  great  many  rooms  and  a 
large  part  of  the  basement  of  the  old  Post-office  building,  where  the 
office  is  located,  are  filled  with  the  records  and  papers.  There  is  no 
general  file-room,  each  division  filing  and  preserving  its  own  records, 
a  fact  which  materially  complicates  the  work  of  the  investigator.  An 
inventory  of  the  files  for  this  report  is  impracticable,  nor  would  it  be 
of  sufficient  value  to  warrant  it.  It  is  believed,  however,  that  the  brief 
descriptions  below  convey  an  adequate  idea  of  the  material  to  be  found 
in  the  office.  Some  of  the  more  important  material  has  been  made 
accessible  through  the  publications  of  the  office,  for  a  list  of  which 
^to  1881  see  S.  Ex.  Doc.  182,  47  Cong.,  1  sess.  Since  1881  the  depart- 
ment and  office  decisions  have  been  published:  "Decisions  of  the 
Department  of  the  Interior  and  General  Land  Office  in  Cases  Relating 
to  the  Public  Lands,  July,  1881-December  31,  1902  "  (31  vols.,  Wash- 
ington, 1887-1903).  The  annual  reports  prior  to  1881  contain  many 
of  the  earlier  decisions.  A  reference  should  be  made  in  this  place  to 
some  records  of  great  value  which  are  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
General  Land  Office,  but  which  are  not  located  in  Washington.  In  the 
office  of  the  United  States  Surveyor-General  of  California,  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, are  the  Spanish  archives  of  California.  They  consist  of  301 
bound  volumes  of  original  papers  and  documents,  and  comprise  the 
political,  civil,  military,  and  ecclesiastical  records  of  California  prior 
to  its  cession  to  the  United  States.  Among  the  various  classes  of  docu- 
ments may  be  noted:  records  of  legislative  proceedings,  state  papers, 
governors'  correspondence,  records  of  various  revolts,  diaries  of  expe- 
ditions, police  regulations,  diplomatic  papers,  records  of  land  grants 
and  marriages,  invoices  of  goods,  papers  relating  to  the  American  inva- 
sion, etc.  For  more  detailed  statements  see  the  annual  reports  of  the 
Surveyor-General  of  California  accompanying  the  annual  reports  of 
the  Commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Office,  especially  those  for  the 
years  1892,  1899,  1900,  and  1902.  The  office  of  the  Surveyor-General 
of  Florida,  at  Tallahassee,  contains  the  Spanish  archives  of  both  West 
Florida  and  East  Florida,  but  those  of  West  Florida  are  very  incom- 
plete (see  the  annual  reports  of  the  General  Land  Office  for  1890,  p. 
401,  and  1896,  p.  391). 

I.     Chief  Clerk's  Division. 

In  the  Chief  Clerk's  Division  are  kept  a  docket  of  all  communica- 
tions received  and  the  records  of  all  matters  relating  to  the  personnel 
of  the  General  Land  Office,  such  as  appointments,  resignations,  charges 
of  misconduct,  etc. 
12 


162  DEPARTMENT   OF    THE   INTERIOR, 

II.     Recorder's  Division. 

The  Recorder's  Division  contains  the  record  of  all  patents  issued, 
and  the  files  of  correspondence,  certificates,  proofs,  and  other  docu- 
ments upon  which  the  patents  are  based.  The  records  of  patents  are 
complete  from  the  earliest  times,  but  the  files  of  the  original  papers 
are  said  to  have  been  destroyed  by  fire  in  1814,  and  are  incomplete 
prior  to  1836.  The  earliest  of  the  extant  files  are  not  readily  acces- 
sible. 

III.     Public  Laxds  Division. 

In  the  Public  Lands  Division  are  preserved  the  "  tract-books ", 
which  constitute  the  greater  part  of  its  archives.  In  these  "  tract- 
books  "  space  is  allowed  for  each  legal  subdivision  of  land  established 
by  surveys,  which  has  been  or  is  a  part  of  the  public  domain.  In  the 
space  there  allowed  for  each  section  of  land  is  noted  everything  affect- 
ing the  status  of  that  section,  such  as  entries,  filings,  selections,  grants, 
reservations,  cancellations,  claims,  contests,  conflicts,  etc.  In  addition 
to  these  "  tract-books  "  there  are  kept  letter-records,  in  which  are  found 
records  of  all  correspondence  relating  to  the  duties  of  the  division  from 
1796  to  date. 

IV.     Division  of  Public  Surveys. 

The  Division  of  Public  Surveys  supervises  all  work  relating  to  the 
public  surveys,  prepares  instructions  to  the  surveyors-general,  examines 
and  passes  upon  all  contracts  for  surveying,  examines  all  plats  and 
field-notes  of  surveys,  and  superintends  the  running  of  boundaries  when 
done  by  the  General  Land  Office.  For  a  history  of  the  legislation 
relating  to  surveys  see  the  "  Manual  of  Surveying  Instructions " 
(Washington,  1902),  and  for  the  reports  of  the  surveyors-general  see 
the  annual  reports  of  the  Commissioner. 

The  archives  of  the  division  consist  mainly  of  correspondence,  and 
show  the  old  methods  of  surveying,  the  physical  features  of  the  land 
surveyed,  and  the  difficulties  and  often  opposition  encountered  in  mak- 
ing the  surveys.  The  correspondence  consists  of  the  letters  received, 
kept  in  file-boxes,  and  of  copies  of  the  letters  sent,  preserved  in  letter- 
books;  it  is  arranged  in  five  groups:  (1)  Executive,  with  Cabinet  and 
bureau  officers;  (2)  Registers  and  receivers,  relating  to  the  actual  dis- 
position of  the  land;  (3)  Surveyors-general;  (4)  Examiners,  relating 
to  the  examination  of  contract-surveys;  (5)  Miscellaneous.  The  oldest 
correspondence  is  contained  in  a  volume  of  letters  dated  1796-1816. 


GENERAL   LAND    OFFICE.  163 

V.     Railroads  Divisiok. 

The  Railroads  Division  registers  entries  of  lands  within  railroad, 
wagon-road,  and  canal-grant  limits,  dockets  contested  entries  and  ap- 
plications for  lands  therein,  examines  and  decides  such  applications  and 
entries,  conducts  all  correspondence  relating  to  the  disposal  of  lands 
within  railroad,  wagon-road,  and  canal-grant  limits,  lists,  certifies,  pat- 
ents, and  adjusts  railroad  and  wagon-road  lands,  and  registers,  exam- 
ines, and  recommends  for  approval  all  articles  of  incorporation  and  all 
maps  filed  by  railroad  companies  claiming  right  of  way  over  public 
lands  under  the  act  of  March  3,  1875  (18  Stat.  L.  482),  and  under 
other  acts  granting  right  of  way. 

The  files  of  the  division  are  grouped  as  follows:  (1)  Letters  sent, 
relating  to  all  matters;  important  for  determining  the  land  policy  of 
the  government  so  far  as  it  relates  to  railroads,  canals,  and  irrigation; 
(2)  Letters  and  papers  received,  relating  to  cases  in  dispute  between 
the  railroads  and  the  government;  (3)  Letters  from  railroads,  relating 
to  all  matters  not  in  dispute  concerning  land  grants,  such  as  lists  of 
lands  sold;  (4)  Letters  and  papers  received,  relating  to  qanals  and  irri- 
gation, ditches,  reservoirs,  etc.,  except  those  constructed  by  the  govern- 
ment; (5)  Maps  of  permanent  location  filed  by  railroads,  showing  the 
exact  lines  of  the  respective  roads  and  all  the  lands  involved;  (6)  De- 
cisions of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  relating  to  railroads,  canals, 
etc.  There  are  other  kinds  of  material,  but  all  of  real  importance  are 
included  in  the  foregoing  classification.  For  lists  of  railroad  and  other 
grants  made,  the  records  relating  to  which  are  on  file  in  this  division, 
see  the  annual  report  of  the  Commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Office 
for  1902,  under  "  Railroad  Division  '*. 

The  Railroad  Division  was  established  in  1872  and  its  records  before 
that  date  are  not  complete.  It  has,  however,  practically  all  the  rail- 
road files  since  1850,  when  the  first  grant  was  made,  while  there  is 
material  relating  to  canals  of  as  early  date  as  1829,  and  the  Secretary's 
decisions  commence  in  1859. 

VI.  Preemption  Division. 
The  Preemption  Division  examines,  acts  upon,  and  keeps  the  records 
of  all  claims  to  lands  arising  under  the  preemption,  timber-culture, 
desert-land,  and  town-site  laws,  and  under  grants  to  the  several  states 
for  educational,  charitable,  and  other  purposes.  It  locates  and  patents 
claims  to  lands  in  territory  acquired  by  the  United  States  by  cession, 
when  such  claims  originated  under  the  former  government  prior  to  the 
•cession  of  the  territory,  and  have  since  been  confirmed  by  Congress. 


164  DEPARTMENT   OF   THE   INTERIOR. 

It  also  has  charge  of  Indian  lands  and  of  the  examination  and  patent- 
ing of  such  lands^  and  adjudicates  all  contests  coming  before  the  Gen- 
eral Land  Office  in  which  preemption  rights^  desert-land  claims,  timber- 
culture  claims,  town-site  questions,  or  Indian  claims  are  involved. 
Finally  it  examines  the  proofs  in  Alaskan  entries.  Of  especial  value 
among  the  records  of  this  division  should  be  the  decisions,  of  which 
there  are  a  great  many  each  year.  The  earliest  patent  recorded  in  the 
division  is  dated  March  3,  1792. 

VII.     Contest  Division. 

The  Contest  Division  disposes  of  controversies  arising  between  indi- 
viduals where  rights  under  the  homestead,  timber,  and  stone  laws,  and 
locations  of  land-scrip  under  various  acts  of  Congress  are  involved. 
The  principal  records  of  the  division  consist  of  correspondence,  deci- 
sions, and  the  testimony,  pleadings,  and  arguments  relating  to  the 
various  cases  of  contest  coming  before  the  division. 

VIII.     Swamp-Land  Division. 

The  Swamp-Land  Division  examines  and  records  the  lists  of  lands 
selected  and  reported  as  inuring  to  certain  states  under  the  acts  of  Con- 
gress granting  swamp  and  overflowed  lands  to  public  land  states  (see 
9  Stat.  L.  252,  519;  10  ibid.,  634;  11  ibid.,  251;  12  ibid.,  3;  14  ibid., 
218;  17  ibid.,  37,  404*;  18  ibid.,  282;  19  ibid.,  334,  395;  21  ibid.,  171)  ; 
issues  and  records  patents  for  those  lands;  and  records,  indexes,  and 
files  the  correspondence,  decisions,  papers,  and  other  records  relating  to 
claims  arising  under  the  acts  cited  above. 

IX.     Drafting  Division. 

The  Drafting  Division  performs  all  the  drafting  required  by  the 
General  Land  Office  and  is  the  custodian  of  all  the  official  field-notes 
of  surveys  of  the  public  domain  and  of  the  originals  and  photolitho- 
graphic copies  of  maps  and  plats  relating  thereto. 

X.     Division  of  Accounts. 

The  Division  of  Accounts  contains  all  the  accounts  of  all  the  receipts 
and  disbursements  of  money  by  the  General  Land  Office.  The  prin- 
cipal classes  of  accounts  are  as  follows:  (a)  Receipts;  quarterly  ac- 
counts of  receivers  of  public  moneys  (sales  of  public  and  Indian  lands), 
quarterly  accounts  of  receivers  of  public  moneys  (unearned  fees  and 
unofficial  moneys),  accounts  of  moneys  collected  on  account  of  depreda- 
tions on  public  timber,  accounts  of  moneys  collected  on  account  of  sales 
of  public  timber  (acts  of  March  3,  1891,  and  June  4,  1897),  accounts 


GENERAL   LAND    OFFICE.  165 

of  moneys  received  from  sales  of  government  property  (old  furniture, 
etc.)^  accounts  of  moneys  received  by  town-site  boards,  accounts  of 
moneys  deposited  by  individuals  to  cover  the  cost  of  office  work  in  con- 
nection with  the  survey  of  mining  claims,  accounts  of  receiving  clerk. 
General  Land  Office,  for  moneys  received  from  certified  copies  and 
transcripts  of  records.  (6)  Disbursements;  quarterly  accounts  of 
receivers  of  public  moneys  as  special  disbursing  agents,  quarterly  ac- 
counts of  receivers  of  public  moneys  (unearned  fees  and  unofficial 
moneys),  quarterly  accounts  of  surveyors-general  as  disbursing  agents, 
state-fund  accounts,  repayment  accounts  for  lands  erroneously  sold, 
accounts  of  deputy  surveyors,  accounts  of  town-site  boards,  miscella- 
neous accounts  (special  agents,  inspectors,  forest  superintendents, 
supervisors,  and  rangers),  and  contingent,  transportation,  and  other 
accounts. 

The  surveying  contracts  are  also  kept  in  this  division.  Many  kinds 
of  work  are  performed  by  the  division  that  cannot  be  conveniently 
tabulated.  Of  such  may  be  noted  the  preparation  of  estimates  for  all 
annual  and  special  appropriations  for  the  land  service,  the  tabulation 
of  numerous  statements  relating  to  public  lands  and  to  their  survey 
and  disposal  imder  the  various  acts  of  Congress,  the  investigation  of 
claims  before  the  Court  of  Claims,  the  preparation  of  reports  on  bills 
pending  before  Congress,  the  receipt,  examination,  recording,  and  dis- 
tribution to  other  divisions  of  registers'  returns,  and  the  compilation  of 
statistics  for  the  annual  report. 

The  correspondence  of  this  division  is  very  voluminous,  amounting 
in  the  year  ending  June  30,  1902,  to  nearly  50,000  letters  received  and 
sent.  The  letters  are  filed  according  to  a  fourfold  classification:  (1) 
Registers'  and  receivers'  letters;  (2)  Surveyors'-general  letters;  (3) 
Departmental  letters;  (4)   Miscellaneous  letters. 

XI.     Mineral  Division. 

The  Mineral  Division  has  charge  of  the  following  matters:  (1) 
Mineral  and  coal  entries;  (2)  All  contests  and  quasi  contests  in  which 
the  character,  whether  agricultural,  mineral,  or  saline,  of  the  public 
land  is  involved;  (3)  Agricultural  filings  and  entries  in  which  a  ques- 
tion as  to  the  character  of  the  land  is  involved;  (4)  Railroad,  state, 
and  forest  lieu  selections  referred  to  this  division  for  examination  as 
to  the  character  of  the  land  selected  and  the  proximity  of  such  selec- 
tions to  mineral  lands;  (5)  Petitions  for  suit  by  the  United  States  to 
set  aside  patents  on  mining  and  coal  claims  and  on  all  mineral  and 
coal  lands  that  are  alleged  to  have  been  erroneously  or  fraudulently 


166  DEPARTMENT   OF   THE   INTERIOR. 

patented  as  agricultural  lands;  (6)  Certified  copies  of  papers,  plats, 
and  records  relating  to  mineral  lands  or  coal  lands;  (7)  Relinquish- 
ments and  amendments  of  entries  or  filings  in  which  the  character  of 
the  land  is  in  question;  (8)  Correspondence  and  instructions  to  regis- 
ters and  receivers  and  United  States  surveyors-general  in  all  matters 
relating  to  the  disposal  of  mineral  and  coal  lands;  (9)  The  prepara- 
tion, recording,  and  transmitting  of  all  mineral  and  coal  patents;  (10) 
The  work  of  the  mineral  land  commissioners  appointed  under  the  acts 
of  February  26,  1895,  and  June  6,  1900,  to  classify  the  granted  lands 
within  the  limits  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  Company's  grants 
in  the  mineral  districts  of  Bozeman,  Helena,  and  Missoula,  in  Montana, 
and  in  Coeur  d'Alene,  in  Idaho;  (11)  Examination  of  bonds  of  United 
States  mineral  surveyors. 

XII.     Special  Service  Division. 

The  Special  Service  Division  investigates  fraudulent  entries  and 
receives  and  investigates  complaints  of  depredations  upon  public  tim- 
ber. Its  records  consist  mainly  of  correspondence  and  reports  of  its 
agents  on  cases  under  investigation. 

XIII.     Forestry  Divisiok. 

The  Forestry  Division  was  established  in  March,  1901 ;  its  duties  and 
records  relate  to  the  creation  and  administration  of  forest  reserves  and 
consist  of  correspondence  and  reports  of  forest  officers.  For  lists  of 
forest  reserves  see  the  annual  reports  of  the  Commissioner  of  the  Gen- 
eral Land  Office. 

PATENT   OFFICE. 

Although  provision  for  the  granting  of  patents  was  made  as  early 
as  1790  (1  Stat.  L.  109,  318),  the  Patent  Office  was  not  established  by 
law  until  1836,  when  it  was  made  an  office  in  the  Department  of  State, 
and  a  Commissioner  of  Patents  was  appointed  as  its  head  (5  Stat.  L. 
117).  In  1849  it  was  transferred  to  the  Interior  Department.  For  a 
brief  history  of  the  patent  system  in  the  United  States  see  the  annual 
report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Patents  for  1900  (pp.  viii-xii). 

The  archives  of  the  Patent  Office  are  practically  complete  from  1836 
and  consist  of  the  models,  books,  records,  drawings,  specifications,  cor- 
respondence, etc.,  relating  to  the  granting  of  patents.  The  files  of 
most  value  are  the  applications  for  patents  and  the  accompanying 
papers.  With  each  application  are  placed  the  correspondence  and 
other  papers  relating  to  it,  and  the  whole  is  then  filed  according  to  a 
numerical  system,  so  that  all  the  papers  bearing  on  any  one  case  can 
be  readily  f pund. 


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BUREAU    OF   EDUCATION.  1(^7 

In  the  fire  of  December  15,  183G,  everything  in  the  Patent  Office, 
both  records  and  models,  was  destroyed  (H.  Rept.  134,  p.  38,  24  Cong., 
2  sess.).  Some  of  the  records  and  most  of  the  models  were  restored, 
however,  so  that  there  is  scattering  material  consisting  of  ledger  vol- 
umes of  fair  copies  of  papers  and  correspondence,  dating  from  as  early 
as  1790.  On  September  24,  1877,  another  fire  destroyed  87,000  mod- 
els, 40,000  sets  of  photograph  copies  of  drawings,  and  30  patented 
drawings,  but  no  books  or  original  records  and  files  in  patented  cases 
were  lost  (H.  Ex.  Doc.  2,  45  Cong.,  1  sess.).  The  material  lost  in  this 
fire  has  been  partially  restored.  For  a  list  of  papers  and  files  de- 
stroyed by  authority  of  Congress  as  being  of  no  value  see  H.  Doc. 
273,  56  Cong.,  2  sess. 

The  important  material  in  the  Patent  Office  is  rendered  accessible 
through  various  publications.  A  "  Subject-Matter  Index  of  Patents 
for  Inventions  issued  by  the  United  States  Patent  Office,  1790-1873  " 
(4  vols.,  Washington,  1874)  furnishes  a  guide  to  the  files  of  applica- 
tions and  other  papers  from  the  earliest  times.  Prior  to  1836  the 
Secretary  of  State  reported  annual  lists  of  patentees  and  patents,  which 
may  be  found  in  the  congressional  documents.  From  1836—1837  to 
1842  the  Commissioner  of  Patents  made  similar  reports  to  Congress, 
and  from  1843  to  1852  the  claims  of  the  patents  granted  were  included, 
while  from  1853  to  1870  drawings  and  brief  abstracts  were  added. 
From  1872  the  "Official  Gazette  of  the  United  States  Patent  Office" 
has  been  published  weekly ;  this  contains  lists  of  patents  and  patentees, 
drawings,  descriptions,  and  claims,  and  the  decisions  of  the  Commis- 
sioner. Commencing  with  May  30,  1871,  the  "Specifications  and 
Drawings  of  Patents  "  have  been  published,  and  deposited  in  various 
libraries  throughout  the  country.  The  decisions  of  the  Commissioner 
have  been  published  since  1869:  "Decisions  of  the  Commissioner  of 
Patents  and  of  United  States  Courts  in  Patent  and  Trade-Mark  Cases  " 
(10  vols.,  Washington,  1869-1901).  A  list  of  the  publications  of  the 
office  to  1881  is  contained  in  S.  Ex.  Doc.  182,  47  Cong.,  1  sess. 

Mention  should  be  made  of  the  library  of  the  Patent  Office,  which 
is  well  equipped  with  works  on  mechanical  inventions,  and  has  very 
complete  files  of  the  patent  reports  and  publications  of  various  coun- 
tries. 

BUREAU   OF    EDUCATION. 

In  1867  an  independent  Department  of  Education  was  established 
(14  Stat.  L.  434),  but  the  following  year  it  was  made  a  bureau  in  the 
Interior  Department  (15  Stat.  L.  106).  The  duties  of  the  bureau 
comprise  the  collection  of  such  statistics  and  facts  as  shall  show  the 


168  DEPARTMENT   OF    THE   INTERIOR. 

progress  of  education  in  the  United  States,  the  diffusion  of  information 
relating  to  school  organization  and  methods  of  teaching,  the  supervision 
of  education  in  Alaska,  and  the  administration  of  the  endowment  fund 
for  the  support  of  agricultural  and  mechanic  arts  colleges.  For  a  full 
account  of  the  establishment  and  purpose  of  the  bureau  attention  is 
called  to  "  Answers  to  Inquiries  about  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Education, 
its  Work  and  History ",  by  Charles  Warren,  M.D.  (Washington, 
1883).  The  "Annual  Statement  of  the  Commissioner  of  Education 
to  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior"  for  1902  shows  the  organization  of 
the  bureau  and  the  work  of  each  division.  The  publications  of  the 
bureau  are  both  numerous  and  important,  and  a  complete  list  of  them 
is  to  be  found  in  the  annual  report  of  the  Commissioner  for  1900—1901 
(volume  I,  pp.  ciii— cxii). 

From  the  character  of  the  duties  of  this  bureau  it  follows  that  it  has 
practically  no  unpublished  files  or  records,  apart  from  its  purely  admin- 
istrative correspondence,  accounts,  and  records,  which  are  of  course  of 
no  historical  value. 

The  original  unpublished  material  collected  by  the  bureau,  from 
which  its  statistical  tables  and  other  published  information  are  derived, 
consists  of  the  various  reports  made  to  it  on  prepared  forms.  These 
reports  represent  about  ninety  per  cent,  of  the  state  and  city  school 
systems,  secondary  schools,  both  public  and  private,  normal  schools, 
universities  and  colleges,  women's  colleges,  professional  schools,  colored 
schools,  and  schools  for  the  defective  and  delinquent  classes;  they  rep- 
resent all  the  agricultural  and  mechanic  arts  colleges,  which  are  re- 
quired by  law  to  make  reports  to  the  bureau.  These  reports  are  pre- 
served for  five  years  and  then  destroyed.  The  Alaskan  reports  con- 
stitute a  class  by  themselves ;  a  monthly  report  on  a  fixed  form,  and  an 
annual  report,  the  form  of  which  is  left  to  the  individual,  are  made  by 
each  teacher;  and  all  of  these  reports,  since  their  introduction  in  1885, 
are  preserved  in  the  bureau. 

The  most  valuable  printed  material  collected  by  the  bureau  is  com- 
posed of  educational  catalogues,  reports,  statistics,  and  other  publica- 
tions of  states,  cities,  towns,  private  institutions,  foreign  countries,  etc. 
This  collection  is  practically  complete  for  the  United  States  since  1867, 
although  some  documents  of  an  earlier  date  are  to'  be  found,  and  in- 
cludes the  more  important  of  the  foreign  publications.  For  educa- 
tional statistics  or  history  it  is  evident  that  such  a  collection  is  of  the 
highest  value.  A  second  class  of  published  material  comprises  educa- 
tional periodicals.  Of  these  the  bureau  has  a  very  large  collection, 
which  is  practically  complete  for  the  United  States  and  which  includes 


GEOLOGICAL   SURVEY.  1(59 

the  most  important  foreign  publications,  especially  those  of  France  and 
Germany.  Finally  the  bureau  possesses  two  extensive  collections  of 
books,  one  on  pedagogy,  the  other  on  penology  and  criminology. 

All  the  material  of  the  bureau  is  rendered  easily  accessible  by  means 
of  its  arrangement  and  an  excellent  card-catalogue,  which  includes  ref- 
erences to  important  articles  in  periodicals.  The  collections  of  the 
bureau  are  at  the  service  of  all  interested  in  education  and  are  much 
used  by  such  persons,  either  through  requests  for  information  or 
through  personal  investigation. 

OFFICE    OF    THE    GEOLOGICAL   SURVEY. 

The  office  of  the  Geological  Survey  as  a  distinct  bureau  in  the  Inte- 
rior Department  was  established  in  1879  (20  Stat.  L.  394),  but  geo- 
logical and  geographical  surveys  of  various  parts  of  the  country  had 
been  conducted  since  the  Lewis  and  Clarke  expedition.  An  excellent 
brief  account  of  these  earlier  surveys  and  of  the  establishment  of  the 
office  of  the  Geological  Survey,  with  especial  reference  to  the  legisla- 
tion on  the  subject,  is  to  be  found  in  H.  Rept.  1285,  49  Cong.,  1  sess., 
while  "  The  United  States  Geological  Survey  ",  by  the  Director,  C.  D. 
Walcott,  in  the  "  Popular  Science  Monthly  "  for  February,  1895,  gives 
an  account  of  the  work  of  the  Survey.  The  office  has  no  manuscript 
records  or  files  of  importance  which  have  not  been  printed.  A  com- 
plete list  of  its  publications  is  to  be  found  in  "  Catalogue  and  Index 
of  the  Publications  of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey,  1880- 
1901  ",  by  P.  C.  Warman  (Bulletin  No.  177,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey, 
H.  Doc.  535,  56  Cong.,  2  sess.).  For  lists  of  the  publications  of  the 
Geological  and  Geographical  Survey  of  the  Territories,  which  preceded 
the  Geological  Survey,  see  S.  Ex.  Doc.  182,  47  Cong.,  1  sess.,  and  H. 
Doc.  600,  58  Cong.,  2  sess.  For  papers  destroyed  as  valueless  see 
H.  Doc.  273,  56  Cong.,  2  sess.,  and  H.  Doc.  415,  57  Cong.,  1  sess. 


170  DEPARTMENT   OF  AGRICULTURE. 


DEPARTMENT    OF    AGRICULTURE. 

The  Department  of  Agriculture  supervises  all  public  business  relat- 
ing to  the  agricultural  industry,  has  advisory  supervision  over  agricul- 
tural experiment-stations  having  governmental  support,  and  makes 
quarantine  regulations  for  traffic  in  animals.  Among  its  duties  are  the 
preservation,  introduction,  propagation,  and  distribution  of  animals, 
seeds,  and  plants,  and  the  diffusion  of  information  on  subjects  con- 
nected with  agriculture. 

The  work  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  is  of  such  a  character 
that  its  records  and  files  can  hardly  be  said  to  possess  any  value  for 
historical  purposes.  In  so  far  as  they  consist  of  reports,  monographs, 
or  papers  on  scientific  subjects,  they  have  been  printed,  inasmuch  as 
one  of  the  chief  purposes  of  the  department  is  to  diffuse  scientific 
knowledge  through  its  publications.  A  list  of  these  publications  has 
been  prepared  and  can  readily  be  procured,  so  that  any  further  de- 
scription here  of  this  part  of  the  department's  work  is  unnecessary 
(see  "  List  of  Titles  of  Publications  of  the  United  States  Department 
of  Agriculture,  1840,  to  June,  1901  ",  compiled  by  R.  B.  Handy  and 
Minna  A.  Cannon;  Division  of  Publications,  Bulletin  No.  6,  1902). 
For  a  history  of  the  department  see  C.  H.  Greathouse's  "  Historical 
Sketch  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  "  (Division  of 
Publications,  Bulletin  No.  3,  1898).  The  "Year-Books"  of  the  de- 
partment contain  much  information  relating  to  agriculture  in  the  United 
States,  and  the  one  for  1899  contains  valuable  summaries  of  agricul- 
tural development. 

The  files  of  the  department  are  wholly  administrative;  the  only  ones 
possessing  any  probable  historical  interest  are  the  letters  and  papers 
comprising  the  correspondence  of  the  Secretary.  Here  are  occasionally 
to  be  found  letters  which  bear  on  such  subjects  as  the  importation  of 
American  food  products  into  foreign  countries,  the  construction  of  the 
laws  relating  to  oleomargarine  or  to  animal  diseases,  irrigation  and  other 
internal  improvements,  settlement  on  the  public  lands,  foreign  markets, 
etc.,  and  which  are  of  sufficient  importance  to  be  of  use  to  the  investi- 
gator. The  department  has  no  files  prior  to  its  establishment  in  1863, 
and  the  Secretary's  correspondence  is  complete  only  from  1872.  Since 
1894  a  card-index  to  the  subjects  and  names  in  these  letters  has  been 
kept. 


DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE   AND   LABOR.  171 


DEPARTMENT    OF    COMMERCE    AND    LABOR. 

The  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor,  like  the  Department  of 
the  Interior,  is  composed  of  unrelated  bureaus.  It  has  few  records  of 
any  value  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  historian,  and  the  larger  part 
of  the  valuable  material  in  the  various  bureaus  is  to  be  found  in  printed 
form.  Thus  the  Bureau  of  Statistics,  for  example,  is  distinctly  a  pub- 
lishing bureau,  and  has  no  unprinted  material  in  its  files. 

COAST   AND    GEODETIC   SURVEY. 

A  coast  survey  was  authorized  by  Congress  in  1807  (2  Stat.  L.  413), 
and  the  history  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  is  generally  regarded 
as  commencing  with  that  act.  The  present  duties  of  the  Survey  are 
to  survey  the  coasts  and  the  navigable  portions  of  rivers  under  the  juris- 
diction of  the  United  States,  to  take  deep-sea  soundings  and  tempera- 
ture, current,  and  magnetic  observations,  to  determine  heights  and  geo- 
graphical positions,  etc.  The  results  of  the  surveys  are  published  in 
various  forms,  and  a  complete  list  of  these  publications  is  to  be  found 
in  "  List  and  Catalogue  of  the  Publications  issued  by  the  U.  S.  Coast 
and  Geodetic  Survey,  1816-1902 ",  by  E.  L.  Burchard,  Librarian 
(Washington,  1902).  A  brief  sketch  of  the  organization  of  the  Sur- 
vey, with  especial  reference  to  the  legislation  relating  to  it,  may  be 
found  in  H.  Rept.  1285,  49  Cong.,  1  sess. 

The  archives  of  the  Survey  contain  comparatively  little  of  value  to 
the  investigator  that  has  not  been  published,  with  the  exception  of  some 
unprinted  maps  and  surveys,  and  the  collections  of  correspondence. 
The  files  are  admirably  arranged  and  indexed,  and  access  to  them  and 
to  the  library  is  readily  granted. 

I.      CORRESPOKDENCE. 

1.  Hassler  Letters,  1803-18^3  (1  vol.). 

These  relate  to  the  early  history  and  work  of  the  Survey  and  were 
collected  by  Mr.  Burchard.     They  are  bound  in  chronological  order. 

2.  General  Correspondence,  18Jf.li.  to  date  (over  2,000  vols.). 

The  general  character  of  this  correspondence  is  indicated  by  the 
various  titles  under  which  it  is  bound:  Military  and  Naval  Assistants, 
being  the  correspondence  of  the  bureau  with  those  officers ;  Manuscripts 
of  Discussions,  relating  to  the  work  of  the  office;  Miscellaneous  and 
Scientific    and    Business    Papers,    correspondence    between    Treasury, 


172  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE   AND   LABOR. 

Navy^  and  War  Departments;  Civil  Assistants  and  Primary  Triangu- 
lations;  Miscellaneous  Correspondence;  Private  Correspondence,  relat- 
ing to  requests  for  employment  and  answers  thereto,  etc. ;  Applications, 
Testimonials,  and  Replies;  Correspondence  with  Western  Coast  Super- 
intendent's Party  and  Extra  Observers  (1850);  Western  Coast  and 
Light-House  Correspondence;  Monthly  Reports  and  Sketches;  Papers 
relating  to  Tides;  Instruction  Book;  Military  Assistants;  Reports  of 
the  Superintendent  of  the  Coast  Survey  (1852-1856)  ;  Tides  and  Cur- 
rents; Sailing  Directions  and  List  of  Harbors;  Disbursing  Agents  and 
Business  Papers.  For  the  Civil  War  period  (1861-1865)  there  are 
seventy-two  volumes,  of  which  those  entitled  "  War  and  Navy  Assist- 
ants "  contain  many  interesting  details  of  the  prosecution  of  the  war. 
The  correspondence  previous  to  1 844  was  probably  retained  by  Hassler 
and  is  published  to  some  extent  in  his  memoirs.  This  correspondence 
is  chronologically  arranged  and  indexed  on  cards. 

II.     Technical  Manuscripts  axd  Other  Collections. 

1.  Technical  Manuscripts,  1817  to  date. 

This  material  relates  to  surveys,  geodetic  triangulation,  hypsometry, 
magnetics,  tides,  and  currents.  It  is  arranged  by  countries  in  Cutter's 
geographic  order  and  is  indexed  under  place,  subject,  and  date.  See 
the  "  List  and  Catalogue  of  the  Publications  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic 
Survey  "  for  such  of  these  manuscripts  as  are  printed. 

2.  Manuscript  Maps,  1835  to  date  (many  thousand  maps). 

The  maps  prior  to  1835  are  bound  with  the  correspondence.  Many 
of  the  maps  made  during  war  periods  are  the  work  of  spies  and  of  great 
value.  There  is  in  the  office  of  the  Survey  a  complete  list  of  all  the 
unpublished  maps. 

S.  Special  Collection  of  Reports  on  Service  of  the  Coast  Survey  Officers 
during  the  Civil  War,  1861-1865  (2  vols.). 

Manuscripts  relating  to  surveying  in  front  of  the  advancing  armies; 
arranged  chronologically. 
4-.  Manuscript  Notes  in  the  Library,  1861-1865  (1  vol.). 

"  Notes  on  the  Coast  of  the  United  States  ",  by  A.  D.  Bache;  com- 
piled for  the  confidential  use  of  the  Navy  during  the  Civil  War  and  not 
published. 
5.  Nervspaper  Clippings,  18Jf.6  to  date  (J/,  vols.). 

This  collection  of  newspaper  clippings  relates  to  the  work  of  the 
Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey. 


OFFICE    OF   STEAMBOAT  INSPECTION.  173 

COMMISSIONER   OF   NAVIGATION. 

The  office  of  Commissioner  of  Navigation  was  established  in  1884 
(23  Stat.  L.  118).  His  duties  are  connected  with  the  supervision  of 
the  merchant  marine  and  seamen  of  the  United  States,  the  issuing  and 
filing  of  marine  documents  (registers,  enrolments,  licenses,  etc.),  the 
rendering  of  decisions  in  questions  concerning  marine  documents  and 
the  collection  and  refunding  of  tonnage  taxes,  the  changing  of  names 
of  vessels,  preparing  an  annual  list  of  vessels,  receiving  the  reports  of 
the  shipping  commissioners,  etc.  Some  of  these  duties  were  formerly 
performed  in  the  offices  of  the  Register  and  of  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  but  the  records  relating  to  them  were  transferred  to  the  new 
office  upon  its  establishment.  The  principal  classes  of  records  in  the 
office  of  the  Commissioner  of  Navigation  are  papers  and  documents 
relating  to  appeals,  requests  for  instructions,  decisions,  orders,  regula- 
tions, marine  documents,  accounts  of  tonnage,  abstract  of  tonnage  tax, 
annual  lists  of  vessels,  statements  of  vessels  built,  accounts  of  vessels 
lost  and  abandoned,  applications  for  signal  letters,  requests  for  official 
numbers,  and  shipping  commissioners'  accounts.  For  the  student  of 
the  merchant  marine  and  commerce  these  records  should  be  of  great 
value,  but  it  is  probable  that  the  information  of  most  interest  is  pub- 
lished in  the  annual  reports  of  the  Commissioner. 

The  oldest  records  in  the  office  are  the  marine  documents,  which  date  / 
from  1815  and  show  the  ownership  and  construction  of  vessels  and  the 
dates  and  places  of  building.  Some  papers  have  been  destroyed  as 
valueless  (see  S.  Rept.  1048,  53  Cong.,  3  sess.,  and  S.  Doc.  246,  55 
Cong.,  2  sess.).  The  files  are  all  so  arranged  and  indexed  that  any  par- 
ticular paper  or  the  papers  relating  to  any  particular  subject  can  be 
readily  found. 

OFFICE    OF    STEAMBOAT   INSPECTION. 

While  steamboat  inspection  has  been  provided  for  by  law  from  the 
earliest  days  of  steam  navigation  (2  Stat.  L.  694;  4  ibid.,  129;  5  ibid., 
261,  626;  9  ibid.,  380;  10  ibid.,  61),  the  office  of  Supervising  Inspector- 
General  of  Steam  Vessels  was  not  established  until  1871  (16  Stat.  L. 
458).  It  is  the  duty  of  this  officer  to  superintend  the  administration  of 
the  steamboat-inspection  laws,  and  to  receive  and  examine  the  reports 
and  accounts  of  inspectors.  The  manuscript  records  of  the  office  date 
from  1871,  but  are  of  such  a  technical  character  that  they  can  hardly  be 
said  to  possess  historical  value.  They  consist  of  correspondence,  ex- 
pense accounts,  and  reports  of  various  kinds,  such  as  reports  on  the  life- 
boat and  life-raft  equipment  of  passenger  steamers,  semi-monthly  re- 


174  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE   AND   LABOR. 

ports  on  ferry  and  passenger  steamers^  reports  of  tensile  tests,  state- 
ments of  public  property  received  and  examined,  statements  of  officers' 
licenses  issued,  reports  of  examinations  for  masters,  pilots,  and  mates 
of  ocean-going  steamers,  reports  on  changes  in  the  character  of  steam- 
ers, on  life-preservers  examined,  of  casualties  and  violations  of  the  law, 
of  excursion  permits  issued,  weekly  reports  of  local  inspectors,  etc. 

Material  of  possible  interest  to  the  student  is  to  be  found  in 
the  annual  reports  of  the  Supervising  Inspector-General.  For  papers 
destroyed  as  valueless  see  S.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51  Cong.,  1  sess. ;  S.  Doc. 
246,  55  Cong.,  2  sess.;  S.  Doc.  97,  51  Cong.,  1  sess.;  and  S.  Doc.  348, 
51  Cong.,  1  sess. 

LIGHT-HOUSE    BOARD. 

The  Light-House  Board  was  established  in  1852  (10  Stat.  L.  119); 
prior  to  that  time  the  superintendence  of  light-houses  had  devolved  upon 
various  officers  of  the  Treasury  Department.  In  chapter  iii  of  "  The 
Modern  Light-House  Service  ",  by  Arnold  Burges  Johnson  (Washing- 
ton, 1890)  is  a  historical  sketch  of  the  light-house  establishment  of  the 
United  States  from  the  earliest  times.  The  records  of  the  service  prior 
to  1852  are  scattered  (see,  for  example,  under  Mail  and  Files  Division, 
Treasury  Department),  though  some  few  of  them  have  been  collected 
by  A.  B.  Johnson,  the  chief  clerk  of  the  Board.  The  records  since 
1852  are  preserved  in  the  office  of  the  chief  clerk,  with  the  exception 
of  those  officially  destroyed  as  being  valueless  (see  S.  Ex.  Doc.  44,  51 
Cong.,  1  sess.;  S.  Rept.  1048,  53  Cong.,  3  sess.;  Sen.  Doc.  246,  55 
Cong.,  2  sess.;  and  S.  Doc.  97,  57  Cong.,  1  sess.).  They  consist  largely 
of  reports  and  correspondence  and  contain  practically  nothing  of  his- 
torical value  not  published  in  the  annual  reports  of  the  Light-House 
Board. 

BUREAU   OF   LABOR. 

The  Bureau  of  Labor  was  created  in  the  Interior  Department  in  1884 
(23  Stat.  L.  60),  but  in  1888  was  established  as  an  independent  Depart- 
ment of  Labor  (25  Stat.  L.  182).  In  1903,  upon  the  creation  of  the 
Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor,  it  was  made  a  bureau  in  that 
department.  Its  duties  are  to  collect  and  diffuse  information  on  all 
subjects  connected  with  labor,  its  hours,  earnings,  relations  to  capital, 
disputes,  etc.  A  sketch  of  the  organization  and  functions  of  the  bureau 
is  to  be  found  in  "  The  Working  of  the  Department  of  Labor  ",  by 
Carroll  D.  Wright  (**  Monographs  on  Social  Economics  ",  No.  1,  edited 
by  Charles  H.  Verrill,  Washington,  1901). 

There  are  no  original  records  in  the  Bureau  of  Labor  that  are  acces- 
sible, the  information  that  is  collected  but  not  published  being  regarded 


BUREAU   OF   CORPORATIONS.  I75 

as  confidential.  There  is,  however,  very  little  material  of  any  value 
that  is  not  published.  For  a  descriptive  list  of  the  publications  of  this 
bureau  see  "  The  Working  of  the  Department  of  Labor  ",  referred  to 
above. 

The  library  of  the  Bureau  of  Labor  contains  the  material  of  most 
value  to  the  student.  It  possesses  over  10,000  volumes,  and  has  excel- 
lent collections  of  pamphlets,  trade-union  publications  such  as  period- 
icals, reports,  proceedings,  constitutions,  etc.,  reports  of  state  labor 
bureaus,  and  the  labor  reports,  statistical  year-books,  and  other  publi- 
cations of  foreign  cities  and  countries. 

BUREAU    OF    IMMIGRATION. 

The  Bureau  of  Immigration  was  created  in  the  Treasury  Department 
in  1891  (26  Stat.  L.  1085)  and  transferred  to  the  Department  of  Com- 
merce and  Labor  upon  its  establishment  in  1903.  The  Commissioner- 
General  of  Immigration  administers  the  Chinese-exclusion  laws,  pre- 
pares and  revises  all  regulations  pertaining  to  immigration,  supervises 
the  expenditures  of  the  various  appropriations  for  the  execution  of  the 
immigration  laws,  conducts  all  correspondence  connected  with  those 
laws,  and  renders  decisions,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Secretary, 
on  all  cases  arising  under  them  that  are  appealed  from  the  decisions 
of  local  officers.  The  records  of  the  bureau  extend  from  1891  to  date 
and  are  arranged  in  two  classes:  (1)  Relative  to  Chinese  exclusion; 
(2)  relative  to  other  immigration.  They  consist  almost  entirely  of  cor- 
respondence and  other  papers  relative  to  the  cases  of  individual  immi- 
grants about  whom  some  question  has  arisen.  The  principal  value  of 
the  records  lies  in  their  bearing  upon  the  administration  of  the  immi- 
gration laws.  Important  decisions  are  to  be  found  in  the  printed 
Treasury  decisions,  and  the  most  valuable  of  the  statistical  information 
will  be  found  in  the  annual  reports  of  the  Commissioner-General  and 
in  various  other  governmental  publications,  notably  those  of  the  Bureau 
of  Statistics. 

The  files  are  admirably  arranged;  all  the  papers  relating  to  a  case 
are  filed  together,  and  each  case  receives  a  number  which  enables  it  to 
be  readily  found. 

BUREAU   OF    CORPORATIONS. 

The  Bureau  of  Corporations  was  created  in  July,  1903,  and  occupies 
the  same  position  as  regards  corporations,  joint-stock  companies,  and 
corporate  combinations  engaged  in  commerce  among  the  several  states 
and  with  foreign  nations  (excepting  common  carriers)  that  the  Inter- 
state Commerce  Commission  occupies  as  regards  common  carriers.     Its 


176  CIVIL   SERVICE    COMMISSION. 

duties  are  to  gather  information  and  data  for  the  use  of  the  President. 
This  information  is  collected  from  all  sources,  such  as  the  records  of 
corporations  and  companies  and  of  governmental  bureaus,  state  records 
and  publications,  trade  journals,  etc.  Such  of  it  as  the  President  may 
direct  is  made  public,  but  as  yet  no  definite  plans  of  publication  have 
been  adopted.  The  administrative  records  of  the  bureau,  together  with 
all  information  obtained,  are  regarded  as  confidential  until  published  by 
the  direction  of  the  President,  and  are  not  accessible  for  purposes  of 
investigation.  The  published  material  should  be  of  considerable  value, 
for  it  will  "  tend  to  show  the  development  of  corporate  combinations 
along  legal  and  economic  lines,  and  will  enable  the  student  to  make  com- 
parisons between  the  free  competitive  system  and  that  developed  under 
industrial  combination."  ^ 


CIVIL    SERVICE*  COMMISSION. 

The  duties  of  the  Civil  Service  Commission  consist  in  examining 
applicants  for  positions  in  the  classified  service,  in  apportioning  the 
appointments  among  the  states  and  territories,  and  in  enforcing  the 
civil-service  regulations.  The  annual  reports  of  the  commission  contain 
much  valuable  historical  and  statistical  information  relating  to  the 
classified  service.  The  report  of  June,  1899,  contains  (p.  93)  a  list  of 
the  notable  articles  in  the  preceding  reports,  and  the  report  of  June, 
1900,  contains  a  digest  of  the  decisions  of  the  commission  and  of  the 
opinions  of  the  Attorney-General. 

The  library  of  the  commission  should  be  especially  noted ;  it  contains 
fairly  complete  collections  of  congressional  documents  and  department 
publications  relating  to  executive  patronage  and  the  civil  service,  as 
well  as  collections  of  bills,  speeches,  and  newspaper  clippings,  and  of 
the  reports  and  other  publications  of  state  or  local  civil-service  commis- 
sions. 

The  records  of  the  commission  are  largely  administrative  in  charac- 
ter, and  their  interest  is  chiefly  personal,  but  for  a  study  of  the  subject 
of  executive  patronage  they  have  considerable  value.  They  are  com- 
plete since  the  establishment  of  the  commission  in  1883,  and  although  in 
constant  official  use  are  accessible  for  historical  purposes.  They  are 
classified  as  follows: 

^  From  personal  letter  of  James  R.  Garfield,  Commissioner  of  Corporations, 
October  19,  1903. 


INTERSTATE    COMMERCE    COMMISSION,  177 

1.  Proceedings  of  the  Commission  (27  vols.), 

2.  Offices  in  the  Classified  Service. 

Papers  relating  to  all  the  offices  under  civil-service  rules.  Filed 
numerically  with  an  index  to  the  names  of  the  offices. 

3.  Personal  Records. 

Records  of  everyone  who  is  or  has  been  in  the  classified  service,  with 
history   of   his   service.     On   cards,   arranged    alphabetically   and   by 
offices. 
j^.  Application  and  Examination  Papers. 

The  examination  papers  of  failed  applicants  are  destroyed  after  they 
have  been  on  file  for  five  years  (S.  Doc.  88;  H.  Rept.  882,  51  Cong., 
1  sess.). 

6.  Department  Reports  on  Changes  in  their  Service. 
6.   Correspondence. 

Correspondence  with  the  President,  members  of  Congress,  the  execu- 
tive departments,  and  the  general  public,  with  complete  index  to  names 
and  subjects. 


INTERSTATE    COMMERCE    COMMISSION. 

The  duties  of  the  Interstate  Commerce  Commission  are  fully  de- 
scribed in  the  acts  of  February  4,  1887  (24  Stat.  L.  383),  August  7, 
1888  (25  Stat.  L.  382),  March  2,  1893  (27  Stat.  L.  531),  and  March 
3,  1901  (31  Stat.  L.  1446).  The  records  of  the  commission  are  com- 
plete from  its  establishment  in  1887,  are  administrative  in  character, 
are  admirably  arranged  and  indexed,  and,  with  a  few  exceptions,  are 
accessible.  The  annual  reports  of  the  commission  contain  lists  of  cases, 
abstracts  of  decisions,  and  other  material,  which  not  only  serve  to  indi- 
cate in  some  detail  the  character  of  the  more  important  files,  but  in 
many  cases  make  recourse  to  the  original  papers  unnecessary.  The 
records  and  files  comprise  the  following  classes: 

1.  Correspondence,  1887  to  date. 

Arranged  numerically  (z.  e.,  in  strict  chronological  order)  and  made 
accessible  by  a  card-index  to  subjects  and  writers,  which  contains  also 
briefs  of  the  letters. 

2.  Informal  Complaints. 

Informal  complaints  are  those  cases  which  are  not  tried,  but  in  which 
the  commission  acting  as  mediary  secures  a  compromise  between  the 
13 


178  INTERSTATE    COMMERCE    COMMISSION. 

complainant  and  the  aggressor.  All  papers  relating  to  an  informal 
complaint  are  placed  together  in  a  single  jacket  or  envelope,  and  in- 
dexed on  cards.  For  a  list  of  informal  complaints  from  year  to  year 
see  the  successive  annual  reports  of  the  commission. 

3.  Formal  Complaints. 

Formal  complaints  are  those  cases  which  are  formally  tried  by  the 
commission.  All  papers  (such  as  evidence,  briefs,  records  of  trial, 
opinions,  decisions,  etc.)  relating  to  a  case  are  jacketed  together  and 
indexed  on  cards,  and  a  regular  court  docket  is  kept  which  shows  the 
history  of  each  case.  For  a  list  of  formal  complaints  year  by  year  see 
the  successive  annual  reports  of  the  commission.  For  a  synopsis  of  all 
the  decisions  rendered  since  the  establishment  of  the  commission  see  the 
latest  annual  report. 

4.  Railroad  Tariffs. 

All  railroads  are  required  to  deposit  copies  of  their  tariffs  with  the 
commission.  At  present  there  are  over  5,000,000  such  documents  on 
file. 

5.  Certificates  of  Concurrence  in  the  Tariffs. 

6.  Monthly  Reports  of  Accidents  Returned  by  the  Railroads. 
These  are  confidential. 

7.  Miscellaneous  Papers  and  Reports. 

Chief  among  these  publications  collected  by  the  statistician  are  the 
annual  reports  of  railroads.  For  the  published  statistical  information 
derived  from  them,  see  the  annual  reports  of  the  commission. 

An  excellent  library  is  maintained  by  the  commission,  and  is  very 
rich  in  general  literature  on  the  subject  of  transportation.  Among  its 
special  features  may  be  noted  a  card-index  to  articles  in  newspapers  and 
periodicals,  reports  of  state  railroad  commissions,  a  complete  collection 
of  congressional  documents  bearing  on  the  subject  of  interstate  com- 
merce and  the  publications  of  the  commission  (see  the  annual  report  for 
1900,  page  85,  for  a  description  of  the  library). 


THE   SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION.  179 


THE    SMITHSONIAN    INSTITUTION. 

Although  the  Smithsonian  Institution  is  devoted  largely  to  scientific 
work,  it  possesses  a  number  of  collections  of  manuscripts  of  consider- 
able historical  interest.  In  George  Brown  Goode's  "  Smithsonian  In- 
stitution, 1846-1896  "  (Washington,  1897)  is  a  complete  history  of  the 
institution  with  detailed  accounts  of  its  work  and  of  its  collections,  with 
the  exception  of  the  manuscripts.  The  administrative  records  of  the 
institution  are  of  comparatively  small  value  except  for  a  history  of  the 
institution  itself,  and  those  of  importance  are  accessible  in  "  The  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  Journal  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  Reports  of  Com- 
mittees, Statistics,  etc."  (edited  by  W.  J.  Rhees,  1879).  The  relations 
of  the  institution  to  Congress  are  fully  set  forth  in  "  The  Smithsonian 
Institution.  Documents  Relating  to  its  Origin  and  History,  1835- 
1899  "  (edited  by  W.  J.  Rhees,  H.  Doc.  Vol.  113,  56  Cong.,  1  sess.), 
while  the  publications  of  the  institution  are  listed  in  "  List  of  Publica- 
tions of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  1846-1903  "  (W.  J.  Rhees,  Wash- 
ington, 1903). 

On  January  24,  1865,  a  fire  destroyed  much  of  the  secretary's  cor- 
respondence ("  Smithsonian  Institution  Documents  ",  I,  642)  and  many 
diaries,  memorandum-books,  and  account-books ;  thus  the  administrative 
records  are  complete  only  since  1865.  They  consist  of  the  usual  ac- 
counts and  business  records,  and  of  400  volumes  of  letters  sent  and  600 
volumes  of  letters  received;  this  correspondence  relates  to  acquisitions, 
scientific  matters,  the  Fish  Commission,  the  National  Museum,  etc.  It 
is  perfectly  accessible,  is  arranged  chronologically,  and  thoroughly 
indexed. 

COLI^CTIOXS. 

In  addition  to  the  administrative  records  of  the  Smithsonian  Insti- 
tution, there  are  in  its  various  bureaus,  especially  in  the  National  Mu- 
seum, several  collections  of  papers  of  some  historical  value  which  have 
been  acquired  in  various  ways,  but  chiefly  by  gift. 
The  Ord  Papers,  1840-1887  (National  Museum). 

The  Mrs.  Lucy  Ord  Mason  collection  of  193  autograph  letters  (1840— 
1887)  consists  for  the  most  part  of  the  correspondence  of  General  E. 

0.  C.  Ord,  U.  S.  A.     The  following  description  is  prepared  from  a 
manuscript  calendar  compiled  in  the  Museum. 

1.  Letters  from  General  W,  T.  Sherman,  18U-1887  (63  letters). 
These  relate  to  many  matters,  mostly  personal,  though  sometimes  of 


180  THE   SMITHSONIAN  INSTITUTION. 

historical  interest  as:  the  Vicksburg  campaign^  1863;  personal  opinions 
of  General  Grant;  views  on  the  Mexican  frontier  troubles,  1875-1877; 
views  on  the  Fenian  invasion  of  Canada,  1866;  details  of  military  and 
War  Department  policies,  etc. 

2.  Letters  from  General  U.  S.  Grant,  1862-1867  (11  letters). 
Some  of  these  are  military  orders.     One  confidential  letter  of  Febru- 
ary 27,  1865,  contains  interesting  material  relating  to  the  meeting  of 
Ord  and  General  Longstreet,  C.  S.  A. 

3.  Letters  from  General  P.  H.  Sheridan,  186^-1879  (17  letters). 
Jf.  Miscellaneous  letters. 

Letters  from  various  persons,  such  as  Lincoln,  Jefferson  Davis,  R. 
B.  Hayes,  Cyrus  W.  Field,  R.  E.  Lee  (inclosing  application  for  am- 
nesty, June  13,  1865),  and  many  others,  having  for  the  most  part  only 
autographic  value. 
5.  Letters  written  hy  General  E.  0.  C.  Ord. 

There  are  many  reports  of  battles  and  movements  of  troops,  as :  oper- 
ations of  the  Army  of  the  James  from  March  29,  1865,  to  Lee's  sur- 
render; trip  through  the  Indian  country,  September,  1866;  description 
of  the  Battle  of  the  Four  Lakes,  Colorado,  September  4,  1858;  views 
on  Mexican  land  claims  in  California,  etc. 
The  Schoolcraft  Papers  (Bureau  of  American  Ethnology). 

The  Schoolcraft  Papers  consist  of  manuscripts  of  Professor  School- 
craft's books  and  sketches,  fifteen  volumes  and  five  file-cases  of  his 
correspondence,  together  with  newspapers  and  other  material.  This 
collection  has  never  been  arranged  or  indexed,  but  a  hasty  examination 
revealed  sketches  relating  to  the  Upper  Peninsula  of  Michigan,  to  Ore- 
gon, to  Minnesota,  and  to  the  names  of  American  lakes;  criticisms; 
maps ;  correspondence  with  members  of  his  family,  with  Lewis  Cass  and 
other  public  men;  a  volume  of  letters  relating  to  the  Indian  agency; 
diaries,  note-books,  etc. ;  and  newspaper  articles  relating  to  the  Indians. 
These  papers,  while  mostly  of  literary  and  ethnological  value,  still  have 
historical  and  biographical  interest. 
The  John  A.  Halderman  Papers   (National  Museum). 

This  collection,  which  was  presented  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution 
in  December,  1893,  contains  papers  pertaining  to  the  United  States 
Legation  at  Bangkok,  Siam;  a  letter  from  the  King  of  Siam,  March 
23,  1866;  letters  from  Siamese  officers  in  1867;  brief  papers  on  mission 
troubles  in  Siam;  correspondence  with  P.  T.  Barnum;  and  many  letters 
of  only  autographic  interest. 


THE   SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  igl 

The  Vail  Papers,  1837-1854  (National  Museum). 

There  is  a  manuscript  inventory  of  the  Vail  Papers  in  the  Museum, 
from  which  the  following  descriptive  note  is  compiled:  This  collection 
of  about  twenty-five  manuscript  volumes,  together  with  several  bundles 
of  papers,  relates  to  the  magnetic  telegraph.  It  is  composed  largely 
of  the  correspondence  of  Vail,  S.  F.  B.  Morse,  Professor  Jackson,  Sir 
John  Campbell,  Amos  Kendall,  and  others. 

Miscellaneous  Documents    (Bureau  of  American   Ethnology). 

1.  Diario  del  padre  fray  Francisco  Garces. 

Purchased  by  the  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology  from  Nicholas 
Leon,  of  the  City  of  Mexico,  in  1897.  Translated  in  Elliott  Coues's 
"On  the  Trail  of  a  Spanish  Pioneer"  (New  York,  1899). 

2.  Diario  del  padre  Dominquez  en  Sonora  y  Sinaloa,  1731. 
Purchased  by  the  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology  from  Nicholas 

Leon,  of  the  City  of  Mexico,  in  1898. 

5.  Font  Diary,  1777, 

Copy;  original  in  John  Carter  Brown  Library,  Brown  University. 
4-  Diario  del  Don  Antonio  de  Otermin,  1681. 

6,  Autos  de  Guerra  de  la  Reconquista  de  Nuevo  Mexico,  1691/., 

6,  Documentos  de  la  Ynsurreccion  de  los  Indios  in  Nuevo  Mexico,  1693, 
Miscellaneous  Manuscript  Acquisitions   (National  Museum). 

The  following  were  selected,  from  several  bundles  of  papers,  as  hav- 
ing the  most  value : 

1.  Photograph  of  the  Culpepper  deed  of  Mt.  Vernon,  1679. 

2.  Original  copy  (printed)  of  Edmund  Randolph's  "Vindication"; 
1795  (loan  collection  of  J.  M.  Noah). 

3.  A  few  statements  of  the  number  of  American  prisoners  at  Mel- 
ville Island,  showing  number  in  hospital;  May— August,  1814. 

4.  Broadside  giving  plan  and  description  of  Dartmoor  Prison,  Eng- 
land, and  the  report  of  a  committee  of  prisoners  on  the  causes  of  the 
"  late  massacre  "  there;  April  7,  1815  (published  at  office  of  "  National 
Advocate  "). 

5.  Manumission  paper  of  Joseph  Carpenter,  a  negro  slave;  Dutchess 
County,  New  York,  February  23,  1818. 

6.  Letter  from  John  Randolph,  of  Roanoke,  March  4,  1819,  accept- 
ing what  seems  to  be  a  congressional  nomination  (in  envelope  marked 
J.  E.  Watkins). 

7.  The  log-book  of  the  "  Savannah  ",  the  first  steamer  to  cross  the 
Atlantic;  1819. 


182  SUPREME    COURT   OF    THE    UNITED   STATES. 

8.  Antimasonic  Almanac,  1832,  by  Edward  Giddings,  Utica  (William 
Williams,  publisher). 

9.  Harrison  Almanac,  1841;  campaign  songs,  etc. 

10.  Tariff  of  the  Republic  of  Texas,  as  modified  by  the  Second  Con- 
gress.    Made  out  by  B.  H.  Norton,  Texas  Agency,  New  York. 

11.  Letter  of  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  June  20,  1862,  to  G.  W.  Randolph, 
Confederate  Secretary  of  War,  recommending  John  S.  Mosby  for  pro- 
motion. 

American  Historical  Exhibits   (National  Museum). 

In  the  National  Museum  are  many  exhibits  illustrative  of  American 
History.  There  are  trophies  of  all  the  wars,  exhibits  of  Grant,  Lin- 
coln, and  Washington  relics  and  collections,  etc.  These  are  all  cata- 
logued in  the  Museum  and  are  described  in  the  various  Washington 
guides. 
Scientific  Manuscripts  (Library  of  Smithsonian  Institution). 

In  the  library  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  is  a  collection  of  about 
one  hundred  scientific  manuscripts.  Many  of  these  are  lengthy  essays, 
while  others  are  the  scientific  notes  of  exploring  expeditions.  They 
are  fully  catalogued,  but  as  they  possess  no  interest  for  the  investigator 
in  historical  subjects,  the  list  is  not  included  in  this  report.  Such  sub- 
jects as  zoology,  ethnology,  botany,  forestry,  etc.,  are  treated. 


SUPREME  COURT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

The  archives  of  the  Supreme  Court  are  kept  in  the  office  of  the  clerk 
and  consist  of  the  records  of  the  proceedings  of  the  court,  the  papers 
connected  with  the  cases  coming  before  it,  and  the  decisions  rendered. 
In  addition  to  these  regular  records  are  to  be  found  the  records  of  the 
prize  appeal  cases  that  came  before  the  Committee  of  Appeals  in  the 
Continental  Congress.  The  archives  are  well  preserved  in  metal  lock- 
ers and  file-cases,  and  are  admirably  arranged.  The  best  history  of  the 
court  is  that  by  Hampton  L.  Carson:  "The  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States:  its  History"  (Philadelphia,  1892). 

I.     Revolutionary  Prize  Appeal  Cases,  1776-1788. 

There  are  in  the  office  of  the  clerk  the  records  and  papers  of  109 
cases  of  prize  appeals  which  were  decided  by  the  Committee  of  Appeals 
in  the  Continental  Congress,  or  by  the  Court  of  Appeals,  and  which  are 


SUPREME    COURT    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES.  183 

not  reported  by  Dallas.  These  records  were  deposited  here  by  the  act 
of  May  8,  1792  (1  Stat.  L.  279).  In  United  States  Reports  (Vol.  131, 
Centennial  Appendix,  pp.  xxxiv— xlix)  the  reporter,  J.  C.  Bancroft 
Davis,  has  published  an  inventory  of  these  cases,  giving  the  dates  of 
docketing  and  decisions,  so  far  as  they  can  be  ascertained,  and  showing 
the  states  in  which  the  cases  originated.  In  "  American  Antiquarian 
Society  Proceedings  "  (New  Series,  II,  pp.  118—123),  together  with  a 
brief  description  of  the  material  in  the  Supreme  Court,  is  another  list 
of  these  cases.  This  latter  list,  as  compared  with  the  one  in  the  United 
States  Reports,  shows  a  large  number  of  errors ;  it  was  prepared  several 
years  before  the  latter  and  should  be  used  only  when  that  is  not  acces- 
sible. In  "  Essays  on  the  Constitutional  History  of  the  United  States  " 
(J.  F.  Jameson,  editor,  Boston,  1889),  Essay  I,  "  The  Predecessor  of 
the  Supreme  Court  ",  by  the  editor,  contains  in  both  text  and  foot-notes 
numerous  references  to  this  material,  which  throw  light  on  its  ch.aracter 
in  specific  cases. 

II.    Records  of  Proceedings  and  Cases. 

1.  Dockets. 

a.  Original  Docket,  1803  to  date  (76  vols.). 

b.  Engrossed  Docket,  1791  to  date  (36  vols.). 

There  are  two  sets  of  dockets,  the  original  docket,  on  which  each  case 
is  entered  as  it  comes  up,  and  the  engrossed  docket,  which  contains 
under  each  case  its  complete  history  compiled  from  the  various  docket- 
books  in  which  the  case  has  been  entered. 

2.  Minutes. 

a.   Rough  Minutes,  February  1,  1790,  to  date  (81  vols.). 

6.   Engrossed  Minutes,  February  1,  1790,  to  date  (61  vols,  in  1894). 

The  rough  minutes  contain  the  notes  of  the  proceedings  as  they  are 
made  in  court.     The  engrossed  minutes  contain  a  complete  report  of 
the  proceedings  of  each  session,  appointments  of  officers  of  the  court, 
admissions  to  practice,  etc.,  and  are  kept  in  a  safe. 
8.  Admissions  to  Practice,  1790  to  date. 

The  signatures  of  those  admitted  to  practice  before  the  Supreme 
Court  from  1790  to  1806  are  kept  on  two  rolls  of  parchment.  Since 
that  time  they  have  been  kept  in  books,  one  of  which  has,  however,  been 
burned.  There  is  a  card-index  giving  the  names  and  residences  of  all 
those  admitted  to  practice,  and  the  dates  of  their  admission. 
4.  Records  of  Cases,  1790  to  date. 

The  record  of  a  case  consists  of  the  petition,  evidence,  briefs,  deci- 
sions, etc.,  and  the  record  of  the  case  in  the  lower  courts.     These  rec- 


184  COURT   OF   CLAIMS. 

ords  are  arranged  in  bundles  by  cases,,  and  are  on  file  since  1790.  In 
1832  records  of  important  cases  began  to  be  printed,  and  in  1853  all 
briefs  were  required  to  be  printed.  Only  a  few  briefs  before  that  date 
are  preserved,  but  all  the  briefs  since  then  are  to  be  found  bound  to- 
gether in  many  hundred  volumes  constituting  a  valuable  collection. 
These  records,  even  though  printed,  must  be  distinguished  from  the 
reports.  The  records  and  briefs  are  for  the  most  part  to  be  found 
only  in  the  office  of  the  clerk  of  the  Supreme  Court.  There  is  a  card- 
index  which  gives  the  name  of  each  case,  its  file  number,  and  dates  of 
docketing  and  disposal. 

6.  Correspondence. 

The  correspondence  relating  to  cases  is  filed  by  itself.  It  relates 
almost  entirely  to  the  technical  management  of  cases  and  has  little  gen- 
eral interest. 

6.   Opinions. 

The  original  opinions  are  preserved  here,  but  they  are  printed  in  the 
Reports  and  need  not  be  described. 


COURT    OF    CLAIMS. 

The  Court  of  Claims  was  established  in  1855  (10  Stat.  L.  612),  and 
has  jurisdiction  over  all  private  claims  against  the  United  States 
founded  upon  the  Constitution  or  upon  act  of  Congress,  except  such  as 
are  otherwise  provided  for.  For  a  history  of  the  Court  of  Claims  see 
W.  A.  Richardson's  "  History,  Jurisdiction,  and  Practice  of  the  Court 
of  Claims  "  (Washington,  1885).  The  records  of  the' court  consist  of 
the  usual  dockets,  minutes,  etc.,  and  of  the  papers  connected  with  the 
cases  coming  before  it,  such  as  petitions,  evidence,  briefs,  correspond- 
ence, etc.  It  is  evident  that  the  records  are  often  of  very  great  his- 
torical value  because  of  the  facts  disclosed  or  the  points  of  law  in- 
volved. The  earliest  papers  on  file  are  those  relating  to  the  French 
spoliation  cases,  which  antedate  1800  (23  Stat.  L.  283).  The  bulk  of 
the  records  is  very  great  and  an  estimate  of  it  is  impossible;  there  are 
about  50,000  cases  on  file,  and  their  records  vary  from  a  few  papers  in 
some  cases  to  a  large  locker  full  of  documents  in  others.  The  papers 
are  arranged  in  bundles  by  cases,  and  are  filed  in  lockers  and  chests. 
Each  case  is  docketed,  and  the  dockets  serve  as  guides  to  the  great  mass 
of  material.     Access  to  the  records  for  the  purpose  of  investigation 


COURT   OF   CLAIMS.  185 

may  be  had  through  an  order  of  the  court,  for  which  application  should 
be  made  to  the  Chief-Justice. 

From  1855  through  1862  the  Court  of  Claims  reported  to  the  House 
of  Representatives,  and  the  reports  are  to  be  found  in  the  House  Docu- 
ments for  those  years.  For  the  years  1863  and  1864,  two  volumes,  en- 
titled "  Decisions  of  the  Court  of  Claims  ",  were  published,  but  in  1865 
a  regular  system  of  reporting  similar  to  that  employed  in  the  Supreme 
Court  was  adopted:  these  "Court  of  Claims  Reports"  from  1865  to 
1902  fill  37  volumes. 

The  description  of  the  Department  of  Justice  (see  above),  especially 
of  the  offices  of  the  Assistant  Attorneys-General  before  the  Court  of 
Claims,  will  be  found  useful  in  supplementing  this  account.  The  an- 
nual reports  of  the  Department  of  Justice  contain  much  information 
about  the  various  classes  of  cases. 

The  records  are  classified  according  to  the  various  kinds  of  cases,  as 
follows : 

1.  Cases  Against  the  District  of  Columbia  (358  cases). 
Important  cases  are  printed. 

2.  General  Jurisdiction  Cases  (23,188  cases). 
All  printed. 

3.  Indian  Depredation  Cases  (10,34-2  cases). 

The  earliest  case  of  this  class  dates  from  1812,  but  most  cases  are 
later  than  1850.  Many  important  questions  are  involved,  e.  g.,  the 
status  of  citizens  of  New  Mexico  during  the  interval  between  the  treaty 
of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo  and  the  extension  of  the  laws  of  the  United 
States;  the  status  of  that  part  of  New  Mexico  claimed  by  Texas,  etc. 
When  the  amount  involved  is  more  than  two  thousand  dollars  the  records 
of  cases  are  printed  (26  Stat.  L.  851). 

4.  French  Spoliation  Cases  (6,552  cases). 

See  23  Stat.  L.  283.     All  of  these  cases  are  printed. 

5.  Congressional  Cases  (ll^J^l  cases). 

These  relate  to  Southern  claims  arising  out  of  the  Civil  War. 

6.  Naval  Bounty  Cases  (4,000  cases). 

Claims  for  bounty  or  prize  money,  arising  out  of  the  Spanish  War. 

7.  Departmental  Cases  (68  cases). 

These  are  cases  which,  under  the  provisions  of  22  Stat.  L.  485  and 
24  Stat.  L.  505,  are  referred  to  the  Court  of  Claims  by  the  executive 
departments.     They  are  all  printed. 


186  HOUSE    OF   REPRESENTATIVES. 


HOUSE    OF    REPRESENTATIVES. 

On  account  of  the  various  losses  which  they  have  sustained,  the  files 
of  the  House  of  Representatives  are  very  incomplete.  In  addition  to 
the  loss  in  1814  (American  State  Papers,  Miscellaneous,  II,  245)  many 
of  the  files  have  been  destroyed  or  lost  through  the  carelessness  of  early 
custodians.  The  files  are  divided,  both  by  their  general  character  and 
by  their  treatment,  into  two  groups,  as  follows: 

1.  Bound  volumes  of  Original  Papers,  First  Congress  to  date. 
These  papers  are  the  originals  of  the  printed  journals,  documents, 

reports,  communications  from  the  executive  departments,  bills,  resolu- 
tions, etc.  There  are  also  here  committee  dockets  and  petition  books 
(being  merely  dockets  of  petitions),  which  are  not  generally  printed  in 
the  form  in  which  they  are  here  found.  Occasionally  also  the  unpub- 
lished records  of  a  committee  investigation,  with  the  testimony  taken, 
are  to  be  found.  Such  material  as  is  not  printed  in  one  form  or  another 
should  have  considerable  value,  but  an  examination  of  individual  docu- 
ments is  the  only  means  of  discovering  such  material.  In  January, 
1901,  all  of  the  bound  volumes  prior  to  that  date,  5,263  in  number, 
were  stored  in  the  Library  of  Congress  in  accordance  with  the  act  of 
June  6,  1900  (31  Stat.  L.  642).  A  manuscript  list  of  these  volumes 
may  be  seen  in  the  Document  Division  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  or 
in  the  office  of  the  File  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  under 
whose  charge  they  remain.  The  volumes  that  have  accumulated  since 
that  date  are  stored  in  the  sub-basement  of  the  Capitol. 

2.  Papers  relating  to  Bills,  Claims,  Petitions,  etc. 

The  larger  part  of  these  papers,  those  most  in  use,  are  admirably 
arranged  in  several  thousand  metal  file-boxes  in  the  Capitol,  by  Con- 
gresses and  by  subjects  and  names.  They  comprise  bills,  claims,  and 
petitions,  and  the  papers,  correspondence,  recommendations,  etc.,  relat- 
ing thereto.  There  are  about  500  large  boxes  of  committee  papers, 
accounted  expenditures,  proceedings,  investigations,  etc.,  a  number  of 
committee  dockets,  many  of  which  however  are  blank,  and  a  great  num- 
ber of  bundles  of  petitions  to  the  early  Congresses.  Here  are  petitions 
against  slavery,  against  the  admission  of  Texas,  for  post-routes,  of 
manufacturers  relative  to  the  tariff,  against  Sunday  mails,  etc.  There 
are  papers  of  as  early  date  as  the  First  Congress,  but  the  greater  part 
of  the  material  does  not  antedate  the  Eleventh  Congress. 


SENATE.  187 


SENATE. 


The  files  of  the  Senate,  kept  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the 
Senate,  appear  to  be  more  complete  than  those  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives. There  were  no  losses  in  1814,  although  many  valuable 
papers  are  said  to  have  been  lost  in  later  times.  The  files  consist  of 
the  original  journals,  minute  books,  and  bills  and  resolutions,  the  manu- 
script copies  from  which  the  Senate  documents  and  reports  are  printed, 
and  the  original  reports,  petitions,  memorials,  and  other  papers  received 
in  the  Senate.  There  are  also  to  be  found  here,  so  far  as  they  are  ex- 
tant, the  greater  part  of  the  files  of  the  various  committees.  These 
records  are  not  indexed  or  listed,  the  only  guide  in  their  use  being  the 
labeling  of  the  volumes,  boxes,  and  packages  and  the  general  chrono- 
logical arrangement.  Doubtless  the  larger  part  of  this  material  has 
been  printed;  of  the  unprinted  material  the  petitions  and  memorials 
probably  constitute  the  larger  and  more  valuable  class. 


LIBRARY    OF    CONGRESS. 
DIVISION   OF   MANUSCRIPTS. 

The  Library  of  Congress  has  for  many  years  been  the  place  of 
deposit  of  valuable  collections  of  historical  manuscripts.  Among  the 
early  collections  purchased  by  the  government  and  deposited  here  were 
the  Jefferson  papers  (1815  and  1829),  and  the  Dolly  Madison  papers 
(1848);  later  were  acquired  the  Loyalist  papers  (1866),  the  Force 
manuscripts  (1867),  the  De  Rochambeau  papers  (1882),  and  the 
Washington  manuscripts  (1882).  In  1897  the  Division  of  Manu- 
scripts was  created  for  the  purpose  of  arranging,  classifying,  and 
cataloguing  the  material  on  hand  and  of  acquiring  and  caring  for 
such  other  manuscript  collections  as  should  be  possessed  of  historical 
value.  Since  the  establishment  of  this  division  the  acquisitions  have 
been  numerous  and,  in  many  cases,  of  the  greatest  value.  These  acqui- 
sitions have  come  in  various  ways.  The  most  important  have  come  by 
transfer  from  the  State  Department,  and  are  fully  described  above 
under  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library ;  others  have  come  by  purchase ; 
still  others,  notably  the  Jackson  papers,  have  come  as  gifts.  With  these 
almost  daily  additions  to  its  collections  the  Division  of  Manuscripts 


188  LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS. 

has  already  become  the  most  important  depository  of  historical  manu- 
scripts in  this  country,  and  by  the  use  of  the  most  modern  methods  of 
arrangement  and  indexing,  as  well  as  by  the  pursuance  of  a  very  liberal 
policy  in  regard  to  the  use  of  its  material  by  proper  persons,  it  has 
made  its  resources  readily  available  to  the  student.  A  general  account 
of  the  principal  collections  in  this  division  may  be  found  in  the 
"Report  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  with  Manual"  for  1901  (pp. 
335-344),  while  lists  of  accessions  are  contained  in  the  annual  re- 
ports of  the  Librarian  for  the  respective  years  (1900,  pp.  11—12;  1901, 
pp.  19-26,  151-156;  1902,  pp.  24-26,  71-76;  1903,  pp.  77-86). 
Other  accounts  of  the  resources  of  the  division  are  contained  in  an 
article  by  Herbert  Friedenwald  in  the  "  Annual  Report  of  the  Ameri- 
can Historical  Association  for  1898  "  (p.  35),  in  an  article  by  C.  H. 
Lincoln  in  the  "  Annals  of  the  American  Academy  of  Political 
Science"  (XIV,  102),  and  in  "Library  of  Congress,  Notes  for 
the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition,  1904,  No.  5.  Manuscripts ". 
The  list  given  below  was  furnished  by  Mr.  Worthington  C.  Ford,  the 
chief  of  the  division;  it  is  not  a  complete  list  in  the  sense  of  being  a 
catalogue  of  the  manuscripts  on  file — such  a  list  would  be  of  too  great 
proportions  for  inclusion  in  this  report — ^but  it  includes  the  collections 
of  real  historical  value,  and  many  individual  manuscripts  of  especial 
interest  as  well. 

I.    America. 
Spanish  America. 

Columbus  Codex. 

This  volume  is  a  sixteenth-century  compilation  of  the  various  heredi- 
tary grants,  charters,  and  privileges  made  to  Columbus  by  Ferdinand 
and  Isabella.  It  is  probably  one  of  the  vellum  copies  prepared  under 
the  personal  direction  of  Columbus  before  sailing  on  his  fourth  voyage 
to  America,  in  order  to  protect  his  heirs  in  their  rights  under  the 
Spanish  charters. 

Florida  Transcripts. 

Three  hundred  and  twenty-seven  transcripts,  made  by  Miss  A.  M. 
Brooks,  of  documents  in  the  Biblioteca  Columbiana  at  Seville,  relating 
to  the  Spanish  occupation  of  Florida.  Of  these  documents  only  three 
appear  to  have  been  printed. 

Reales  Cedulas,  1508-1807. 

Two  volumes  of  manuscripts  and  pamphlets. 

Relacion  de  todas  las  Cost  as  e  Yslas  de  la  America  Septentrion}. 
A  one-volume  transcript. 


DIVISION   OF  MANUSCRIPTS.  189 

Mexico  and  Central  America. 

Ribas,  Coronica  y  Historia  de  la  Provincia  de  la  Compaiiia  de  Jesus, 
1571-1624. 

Royal  decrees  concerning  the  descendants  of  Montezuma,  1709—1713. 

Two  transcripts  of  diaries;  Diario  del  Padre  Font,  Diario  del  Padre 
Garces. 

Records  and  history  of  the  Indian  pueblo  at  Zuiii,  1732-1734;  3  vols. 

Report  of  Admiral  de  Loria  to  the  governor  of  Mexico,  giving  sched- 
ule of  wages  for  a  marine  expedition,  1745;  10  pages. 

Morfi,  Historia  de  Texas,  1780-1781. 

Honduras:  Remarks  upon  the  treaty  between  Great  Britain  and 
Spain,  1670. 

Nicaragua:  Wheeler,  History  of  Nicaragua,  with  notes  on  conditions 
in  1868. 

West  Indies. 

Vernon-Wager  papers,  relating  to  British  colonization  in  the  West 
Indies;  12  vols,  obtained  in  the  Peter  Force  purchase,  see  "List  of 
the  Vernon-Wager  Manuscripts  in  the  Library  of  Congress  ",  1904. 

Documentos  historicos  Cubanos,  1597-1829;  transcripts. 

Relation  du  voiage  a  I'Amerique,  1710-1713,  1  vol. 

Miscellaneous  papers  relating  to  the  history  of  Cuba,  eighteenth  and 
nineteenth  centuries. 

Capture  of  Havana,  1762;  Lieutenant-Colonel  Alexander  Money- 
penny's  journal. 

"  Pacification  of  the  island  of  Cuba,  1736  ";  1  vol. 

A  large  collection  of  papers  from  the  Governor-General's  Palace  in 
Porto  Rico,  relating  to  the  Spanish  domination  of  that  colony. 

South  America. 

Antonio  de  Vea,  "  Relacion  del  Viage  de  1676  ",  being  a  journal  of 
an  expedition  along  the  west  coast  of  South  America. 

Herrera  y  Loizaga,  "  Viares  [sic]  de  Espana  a  Buenos  Ayres,  Chili, 
etc.",  1713-1717;  a  transcript  in  one  volume. 

Creole  revolution  in  Buenos  Ayres,  1780-1781 ;  a  manuscript  account. 

Miscellaneous  decrees,  regulations,  papers,  letters,  tracts,  and  other 
documents  relating  to  South  America  and  to  Spanish  dominion  therein. 

Dutch  Colonies. 

Miscellaneous  historical  documents,  1649—1650. 

French  Colomes. 

Jesuit  Relations,  1632-1672,  1  vol. 


190  LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS. 

"  Guerres  du  Canada  et  de  Flndependance  et  analyses  des  negocia- 
tions  entre  la  France  et  les  autre  puissances  de  I'Europe  ",  1748—1788. 

Plan  for  the  expulsion  of  French  settlers  from  the  Ohio  country, 
1757. 
English  Colonies. 

Opinions  of  Richard  West  upon  plantation  affairs,  1G82— 1725. 

Documents  relating  to  the  equipment  of  the  British  forces  in  North 
America,  1728—1792;  131  documents  containing  500  pages,  including 
many  papers  signed  by  George  II  and  George  III  and  their  secre- 
taries. 

Diaries  of  two  prisoners  among  the  French,  1745—1750;  2  vols. 

Memorial  of  the  Stamp  Act  Congress  to  the  House  of  Lords,  1765. 

Letters  of  General  Henry  Seymour  Conway;  a  volume  of  159  pages 
containing  official  copies  of  the  letters  of  H.  S.  Conway,  Secretary  of 
State,  to  the  various  American  colonial  governors  during  the  stamp-act 
troubles,  1765-1766. 

II.     United  States. 
General. 

Revolutionary  papers:  This  large  collection  of  papers  was  obtained 
mainly  from  the  Force  purchase  of  1867.  It  is  composed  of  mis- 
cellaneous correspondence  of  almost  every  distinguished  general  in 
the  Continental  Army,  letters  and  resolves  of  the  Continental  Congress 
and  its  various  committees,  returns  of  troops,  records  of  courts-martial, 
lists  of  prisoners,  etc.  The  Articles  of  Association  of  the  Continental 
Congress  of  1774,  negotiations  with  the  British  Peace  Commission  of 
1778,  and  an  exhaustive  file  of  records  of  the  Court  of  Inquiry  upon 
the  Paoli  surprise  of  1777  are  specimen  documents. 

Loyalist  papers :  A  Record  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Loyalist  Com- 
missioners, presented  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution  in  1874  by  Major 
General  Lefroy,  and  transferred  in  1866  to  the  Library  of  Congress. 
There  are  34  volumes  giving  the  testimony  taken  at  Lincoln's  Inn  Field, 
Halifax,  St.  John,  Quebec,  Montreal,  Carleton  Island,  and  Niagara, 
1783—1789,  on  the  losses  and  services  of  American  Loyalists  during  the 
Revolution.  The  thirty-fifth  volume  contains  the  reports  of  the  Com- 
mission from  1784  to  1790. 

Letter-book  of  the  Marine  Committee  of  the  Continental  Congress, 
1776-1780. 

Muster  rolls,  returns,  etc.,  of  certain  Massachusetts  regiments  in  the 
Continental  Army,  1776—1783;  11  vols. 

Memorandum  and  receipt  books  of  Ephraim  Blaine,  1782-1784;  2 
vols. 


DIVISION   OF   MANUSCRIPTS.  191 

A  number  of  orderly  books,  including  that  of  the  Fifteenth  Conti- 
nental Regiment,  Cambridge,  July  19-September  22,  1775. 

One  volume  of  11  manuscripts  relating  to  the  French  Army  in 
America,  1780. 

Deposition  of  Paul  Jappie,  regarding  the  capture  of  his  ship  "  Free 
Trade",  1781. 

Journal  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  1784—1810,  and  the  original 
list  (incomplete)  of  subscribers  to  that  society  in  Virginia,  1783. 

Minutes  of  the  Annapolis  Convention  of  1780,  with  the  signatures  of 
its  members. 

Papers  relating  to  the  Ordinance  of  1787,  dated  from  1785  to  1788. 

Madison's  notes  of  debates  in  the  Federal  Convention  of  1787;  a 
transcript  in  one  quarto  volume. 

William  Paterson's  plan  for  a  constitution  of  the  United  States,  sub- 
mitted in  the  Federal  Convention,  June  18,  1787;  5  manuscripts 
(printed  in  "American  Historical  Review",  IX,  310  IF.). 

Papers  relating  to  the  settlement  of  the  Northwest  Territory,  includ- 
ing letters  and  papers  of  Governor  Arthur  St.  Clair,  1788—1793. 

Letter  from  William  Eaton  to  Hamet,  Bashaw  of  Tripoli,  1804. 

Sir  Charles  Napier's  narrative  of  operations  on  the  Potomac,  1814. 

Papers  relating  to  the  Foxardo  affair,  1824,  including  letters  of 
James  Monroe,  Secretary  Southard,  and  Commodore  Porter;  10  manu- 
scripts. 

Papers  relating  to  the  negotiations  between  Mexico  and  the  United 
States,  1848. 

A  collection  of  458  original  acts  passed  by  the  Confederate  Con- 
gress, 18G1-1864. 

Vouchers  for  supplies  purchased  for  the  C.  S.  S.  "  Sumter  ",  signed 
by  Rafael  Semmes,  18G1;  15  manuscripts. 

Letters  from  Judah  P.  Benjamin  to  Ambrose  Dudley  Mann,  1862— 
1864;  16  manuscripts. 

Confederate  muster  rolls  and  returns,  including  76  returns  of  the 
Army  of  Tennessee,  1864-1865. 

Log  book  of  the  U.  S.  S.  "  Santee  ",  1861-1862;  2  vols. 

General  courts-martial  held  in  the  Union  Army,  1863—1864. 

Minutes  of  the  Society  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  1869-1877;  1 
volume. 

Individual  States. 
New  Hampshire. 

Over  500  documents,  1629-1809.  Among  these  papers  are  many 
letters  of  Governors  John  and  Benning  Wentworth,  President  Meshech 


192  LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS. 

Weare,  and  Secretary  Waldron;  royal  instructions  to  the  governors  of 
the  state,  and  much  of  the  Revolutionary  correspondence  which  passed 
between  the  state  and  Continental  authorities.  The  collection  con- 
tains also  many  official  letters  respecting  the  organization  and  direction 
of  the  New  Hampshire  militia,  1775—1783,  as  well  as  memorials  re- 
garding the  support  due  to  the  state  government  of  1776. 
Vermont. 

Official  papers  of  1744;  one  volume  of  transcripts. 

Minutes  of  the  Westminster  conventions,  1776—1777;  the  original 
manuscript  document  of  Jonas  Fay.      [Facsimile  reproduction.] 

Transcripts  of  the  Allen  and  Chittenden  accounts  against  the  state, 
1777-1780. 

Journals  of  the  Council  of  Safety,  1777-1782. 

Proceedings  of  the  Board  of  War,  1779-1781. 

Contemporary  attested  copy  of  the  articles  of  union  proposed  among 
Vermont,  Massachusetts,  and  New  York  in  1781. 

Correspondence  of  Ira  Allen,  1809-1810. 

Massachusetts. 

Over  800  documents  prior  to  1789,  including  a  copy  of  the  consti- 
tution of  the  New  England  Confederacy  of  1643,  by  Rufus  King;  over 
fifty  letters  and  papers  regarding  the  French  and  Indian  War ;  as  many 
letters  from  Massachusetts  governors,  and  circular  letters  from  the 
General  Court  to  other  colonial  assemblies.  The  collection  includes 
letters  of  Joseph  Warren  and  papers  relating  to  the  foundation  or  sup- 
port of  Harvard  and  Amherst  colleges. 

Transcript,  by  Rufus  King,  of  the  Articles  of  Confederation  be- 
tween Massachusetts  Bay,  Plymouth,  Connecticut,  and  New  Haven, 
1643-1654. 

Muster  roll  of  colonial  troops,  1744—1750,  to  whom  the  colony  re- 
mained indebted  in  1754. 

Papers  from  the  United  States  custom-house  at  New  Bedford. 

Rhode  Island. 

Certain  correspondence  of  the  Assembly  with  the  different  states 
and  the  Continental  Congress,  1764-1786. 

Connecticut. 

Fourteen  letters  of  the  governors  of  Connecticut,  1712—1781. 

Letter  from  the  Lords  Commissioners  of  Trade  and  Plantations  to 
the  governor  and  company  of  Connecticut,  1764. 

Seventeen  volumes  of  the  receipt  books  of  the  Continental  Loan 
Office  for  the  state  of  Connecticut,  1781-1804. 


DIVISION   OF  MANUSCRIPTS.  I93 

New  York. 

Transcript  of  a  short  account  of  New  Netherlands  in  1662. 

Two  folio  volumes  of  "Public  Instruments  anci  Writings",  1664— 
1713. 

Memorials  to  the  king  and  Parliament,  1764. 

Various  letters  from  the  Provincial  Congress  to  its  delegates  in  the 
Continental  Congress,  1775. 

Minutes  of  the  New  York  City  Committee,  1775-1776. 

Minutes  of  the  Committee  of  Safety  of  Tryon  County,  1777-1778. 

Continental  Loan  Office  receipts,  1791-1793;  4  vols. 

Lists  of  invalid  pensioners,  1797—1802. 

Political  and  professional  memorandum  book  of  Dr.  Charles  D. 
Cooper,  Albany,  1797-1805. 

Letter-book  of  Governor  Daniel  D.  Tompkins,  1801—1811. 

New  Jersey. 

Miscellaneous  papers,  1676-1757. 

Sixteen  pages  from  the  town  docket  of  Chesterfield,  1692-1711, 
containing  records  of  town  meetings  and  elections. 

Letters  and  papers  relating  to  the  proceedings  of  the  Provincial  Con- 
gress in  1776,  and  to  the  position  of  Governor  William  Franklin  at  that 
time. 

Papers  relating  to  East  New  Jersey,  including  a  proprietors'  book  of 
accounts,  1771—1843;  the  rent  account,  in  one  volume,  of  the  Ramopo 
Patent,  1787;  and  one  volume  of  certificates  of  mislocation,  1789—1842. 
Delaware. 

A  collection  of  manuscripts  in  four  volumes,  relating  to  the  history 
of  Delaware;  these  papers  are  mostly  official  records  of  the  state,  and 
include  accounts  of  the  Swedish  settlements,  the  minutes  of  the  Con- 
stitutional Convention  of  1791,  and  many  original  letters  and  messages 
of  John  Dickinson. 

List  of  taxables  in  four  of  the  hundreds  in  New  Castle  County,  1776. 

Maryland. 

Minutes  of  the  Baltimore  Committee  of  Safety,  1774-1776. 

Miscellaneous  official  papers  and  letters,  1776—1779. 

Book  of  accounts  of  the  state  of  Maryland,  1778-1785;  2  vols. 
District  of  Columbia. 

Records  of  the  Washington  National  Monument  Association;  8,176 
manuscripts. 

Two  plans  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  1830  and  1848. 

Material  relating  to  the  Columbian  Institute.  ^^ 

14  ^<^ 


194  LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS. 

Virginia. 

The  "  Jefferson  Manuscripts  ",  so  called  because  obtained  at  the 
time  of  the  purchase  of  Jefferson's  library;  they  cover  the  years  1606— 
1711,  and  include  the  following  documents: 

(1)  One  volume  of  miscellaneous  papers,  1606-1680.  **  Instruc- 
tions, Commicions,  Letters  of  Advice  and  Admonition  and  Publique 
Speeches,  Proclamations,  etc." 

(2)  One  volume  of  miscellaneous  papers,  1606-1683,  being  in  the 
main  part  royal  orders  and  decrees. 

(3)  One  volume  of  miscellaneous  records,  containing  notes  by  Jeffer- 
son; this  is  the  "Bland  Manuscript"  to  which  Hening  refers. 

(4)  The  Records  of  the  London  Company  for  Virginia,  1619—1624, 
in  two  volumes,  and  one  unbound  volume  of  "  Papers  and  Records  ", 
1621—1625,  consisting  in  the  main  of  correspondence  between  the  rep- 
sentatives  of  the  London  Company  in  Virginia  and  the  authorities  in 
England,  see  Annual  Report  of  the  American  Historical  Association 
for  1901,  I,  545. 

(5)  Legislative  Council;  Orders  from  February,  1622,  to  Novem- 
ber, 1627;  one  unbound  volume. 

(6)  Legislative  Provincial  Assembly.  "  Laws  and  Orders  con- 
cluded on  by  the  General  Assembly,  March  the  5th,  1623  ";  one  volume. 

(7)  Journal  of  Council  and  Assembly,  1626-1634.  This  volume  is 
the  so-called  "  Edmund  Randolph  Manuscript  "  to  which  Hening  re- 
fers. 

(8)  "  The  Laws  of  Virginia  ",  1642-1662,  one  volume. 

(9)  Minutes  of  the  "Grand  Assembly",  1652-1660.  This  is  the 
so-called  "  Jefferson  Manuscript "  to  which  Hening  refers. 

(10)  Acts  of  the  Assembly,  1660-1697,  1662-1702,  1705,  1705- 
1711;  four  volumes  in  all. 

(11)  A  volume  entitled  "  Foreign  business  and  Inquisitions  ",  1665- 
1676;  in  which,  however,  domestic  matters  predominate;  a  portion 
of  the  volume  refers  to  escheats  in  Virginia. 

(12)  Council  Journal,  1698-1700;  one  volume. 

(13)  Miscellaneous  broadsides,  letters,  and  unbound  manuscripts 
relative  to  Virginia  and  dating  from  1606  on. 

The  Ambler  or  Jamestown  manuscripts.  These  consist  of  125  pieces, 
dating  from  1649  to  the  American  Revolution.  They  comprise  deeds  to 
land,  bonds,  surveys,  and  other  like  documents,  bearing  the  signatures 
of  the  earlier  governors  and  members  of  the  council.  Historically 
they  are  of  importance  as  giving  descriptions  of  properties  and  land 
grants,  while  their  personal  value  for  family  history  is  even  greater. 


DIVISION   OF  MANUSCRIPTS.  I95 

Letters  of  Lieutenant-Governor  Dinwiddle  to  the  Earl  of  Halifax. 

Tabulated  imports  and  exports  from  the  Rappahannock  and  York 
River  districts^  1764-1774. 

Minutes  of  the  Williamsburg  Masonic  Lodge,  1773—1779. 

Papers  of  the  United  States  custom-houses  at  Alexandria  and  Tap- 
pahannock. 

North  Carolina. 

A  list  of  estimates  of  allowances  due  members  of  the  assembly  in 
1756. 

Instructions  from  the  Provincial  Congress  to  its  delegates  to  the 
Continental  Congress,  1776. 

Letters  and  resolutions  relating  to  the  Constitutional  Convention  of 
1788. 

South  Carolina. 

Acts  of  the  legislature,  1704-1729;  twelve  manuscripts. 

A  petition  of  the  merchants  and  freeholders  to  the  state  legislature, 
1766. 

Commission  to  Colonel  William  Moultrie  from  the  Provincial  Con- 
gress, 1775. 

The  presentments  of  the  grand  jurors  of  George  Town  district,  1776. 

A  volume  of  papers  relating  to  the  evacuation  of  Charleston,  1782. 

Resolves  of  the  Planter's  meeting  of  1786. 

Signed  pledge  of  certain  inhabitants  of  St.  Thomas  and  St.  Dennis 
parish  to  maintain  the  credit  of  paper  currency,  1786. 

Georgia. 

Minutes  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Savannah,  1757. 

Official  correspondence  with  the  Continental  Congress  in  May,  1776. 

Papers  from  the  U.  S.  custom-house  at  Savannah,  1787-1860. 

Papers  relating  to  the  slave  yacht  "  Wanderer  ",  1858-1860,  twenty- 
six  manuscripts. 

Kentucky. 

A  number  of  papers  relating  to  transactions  in  slaves;  bills  of  sale, 
deeds  of  transfer,  emancipation  papers,  records  of  time  of  hired  slaves, 
etc.,  1797-1856. 

Inventory  (15  pages)  of  estate  of  Robert  T.  Gilmore,  February  6, 
1835. 

Louisiana, 

Power  of  attorney  to  sell  slaves,  February  18,  1815. 
Bill  of  sale  of  slaves,  September  17,  1852. 


196  LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS. 

New  Mexico. 

Spanish  and  Mexican  archives,  recently  brought  from  the  Land 
Office  in  Santa  Fe  to  the  Library  of  Congress.  They  are  now  in  pro- 
cess of  examination  (see  Annual  Report  of  Librarian  of  Congress, 
1903,  pp.  26-27). 

III.     Personal  Papers. 

Barry,  John,  1782-1801. 

This  collection  includes  the  muster  book  of  the  "Alliance",  1782- 
1783,  a  letter-book  for  the  same  period,  and  miscellaneous  letters  to 
Barry  from  James  McHenry  (1797-1798),  Benjamin  Stoddert  (1798- 
1800),  Robert  Smith  (1801),  Robert  Morris  (1782-1783),  Thomas 
Barclay  (1782-1783),  and  Benjamin  Walker  (1786).  There  is  also 
a  power  of  attorney  given  by  the  officers  of  the  "  Alliance  "  to  Barry, 
in  1782,  and  an  account  against  the  "Alliance"  for  1783-1784. 

Blennerhassett,  Harman. 

This  collection  contains  400  manuscripts  and  includes  Blenner- 
hassett's  diary  in  the  Richmond  Penitentiary,  and  his  speech  in  his 
defense  against  the  charge  of  treason. 

Bourne,  Sylvanus,  1790-1800. 

An  album  containing  twenty  manuscripts,  including  letters  from 
Edmund  Randolph,  Thomas  Jefferson,  John  Quincy  Adams,  and  others. 
Bourne  was  United  States  consul  at  Amsterdam. 

Carroll,  Charles. 

Account  books  (two  volumes)  of  the  first  three  Charles  CarroUs, 
1720  to  about  1800,  and  a  scrap  album  containing  113  manuscripts 
relating  to  the  family. 

Chase,  Salmon  P.,  182^-1873. 

The  Chase  papers  comprise  twenty-two  bound  volumes  and  over 
6,300  letters;  they  include  his  journals,  1829-1835,  and  1861-1863,  a 
diary  for  1864, his  letter-books  for  1833-1837  and  1867-1 868, his  notes 
on  Supreme  Court  cases  of  1869,  his  political  scrap  books  and  com- 
monplace books,  and  his  correspondence,  both  letters  received  and 
copies  of  letters  sent.  The  collection  is  being  calendared,  and  a  por- 
tion of  it  is  printed  in  the  second  volume  of  the  Annual  Report  of  the 
American  Historical  Association  for  1902. 

Clay,  Henry. 

A  scrap  album  containing  seventeen  letters  of  Clay,  1799-1851 ;  also 
two  letters  to  Robert  Walsh,  Jr.,  of  September  6,  1817,  and  April  25, 
1836. 


DIVISION   OF  MANUSCRIPTS.  I97 

Cochhurn,  Martin. 

Day  book  and  ledger  for  the  years  1767-1818.  The  entries  are  in 
Cockburn's  own  hand  and  contain  accounts  with  prominent  Virginians, 
such  as  Richard  Henry  Lee,  George  W.  Fairfax,  George  Mason,  and 
others. 

Creamer,  David. 

Diary  in  one  volume,  1861-1862. 

Gushing,  Jacob. 

Diary,  kept  on  interleaved  editions  of  almanacs,  1 749-1 809 ;  twenty- 
two  volumes. 

Ellis  Papers. 

These  are  the  mercantile  records  of  the  firms  of  Ellis  and  Allen, 
Charles  Ellis  and  Sons,  Thomas  and  Charles  Ellis,  and  Thomas  and 
Charles  Ellis  and  Co.,  of  Richmond,  Va.  They  cover  the  years  from 
1805  to  1853  and  comprise  258  bound  volumes  and  56,064  individual 
pieces  of  manuscript.  The  house  was  concerned  with  foreign  trade, 
was  a  large  importer  and  one  of  the  largest  exporters  in  Virginia  of 
tobacco  and  cotton.  The  journals,  ledgers,  day-books,  and  letter-books 
relate  to  every  detail  of  its  business  and  throw  much  light  on  prices  and 
trade  usage. 

Fitch,  John. 

The  papers  of  John  Fitch  were  obtained  in  the  Peter  Force  pur- 
chase; they  relate  mainly  to  the  application  of  steam  to  water  naviga- 
tion. 

Fritsch,  Baron  von. 

Typewritten  diary  in  one  volume,  1856-1900. 

Greene,  Nathanael. 

Two  letter-books,  January,  1781,  to  April,  1782;  obtained  in  the 
Peter  Force  purchase. 

Jackson,  Andrew. 

The  **  Montgomery  Blair  collection  "  comprises  a  large  number  of 
unbound  manuscripts,  as  well  as  13  bound  volumes  of  letter-books, 
orderly  books,  and  other  papers  of  Andrew  Jackson.  These  papers 
are  remarkably  full  on  Jackson's  military  career,  and  include  some  of 
the  most  important  public  and  private  documents  of  his  administrations. 
They  were  presented  to  the  Library  of  Congress  in  1903  by  the  family 
of  Montgomery  Blair,  who  had  received  them  from  Mr.  Jackson  and 
his  heir.     For  a  detailed  description  of  this  collection  see  the  article 


198  LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS. 

by  C.  H.  Lincoln^  on  **  Some  Manuscripts  of  Early  Presidents  "  in 
"The  Literary  Collector"  for  May,  1904. 

Manuscripts  relating  to  Jackson's  controversy  with  Secretary  South- 
ard respecting  the  battle  of  New  Orleans;  together  with  a  letter  of 
James  Buchanan  regarding  Jackson  and  the  United  States  Bank,  and 
other  miscellaneous  papers;  twenty-six  manuscripts  in  all. 

Johnson,  Andrew. 

These  papers,  15,000  in  number,  date  from  1861  and  cover  John- 
son's career  as  Senator,  military  governor  of  Tennessee,  Vice-President, 
President,  and  ex-President. 

Jones,  John  Paul,  1775-1778. 

This  is  the  Bancroft  collection  of  John  Paul  Jones  papers;  it  fills 
twelve  volumes  and  one  bundle,  and  was  obtained  in  the  Peter  Force 
purchase.  It  has  been  calendared,  and  the  calendar  has  been  pub- 
lished by  the  Library  of  Congress :  "  Calendar  of  John  Paul  Jones 
Manuscripts  in  the  Library  of  Congress,"  by  C.  H.  Lincoln  (Wash- 
ington, 1903). 

Madison,  Mrs.  Dolly. 

The  Dolly  Madison  papers  were  purchased  by  Congress  in  1848. 
They  deal  mainly  with  family  matters,  but  also  throw  much  light  upon 
the  political  and  social  life  of  Washington  during  the  first  half  of  the 
nineteenth  century. 

Morris,  Robert. 

The  Robert  Morris  papers,  filling  fifteen  volumes,  were  formerly 
owned  by  General  John  Meredith  Read,  but  have  not  been  used  or 
printed.  They  comprise  the  diary  and  the  letter-books  of  the  United 
States  Department  of  Finance  during  the  years  1781-1784;  the  private 
letter-books  of  Morris  from  1794  to  1798;  official  copies,  over  the  sig- 
nature of  Charles  Thomson,  of  the  Journals  of  the  Continental  Con- 
gress, transmitted  to  Morris  as  Superintendent  of  Finance;  an  account 
of  Pierre  Caron  de  Beaumarchais  against  the  United  States  for  services 
during  the  Revolution,  and  a  letter  from  Beaumarchais  to  Morris  in  re- 
lation to  the  settlement  of  this  account.  The  diary,  in  three  volumes, 
contains  summaries  of  the  official  correspondence  of  the  department, 
and  notes  of  significant  interviews  from  September  7,  1781,  to  Sep- 
tember 30,  1784.  The  official  letter-books,  in  seven  volumes,  contain 
copies  of  over  3,000  letters  written  by  Morris  during  the  same  period. 
The  private  letter-books,  in  three  volumes,  contain  over  2,700  letters; 
they  cover  the  period  of  his  later  speculations,  including  those  in  lands 


DIVISION   OF  MANUSCRIPTS.  I99 

in  the  District  of  Columbia  and  on  the  western  border ;  and  of  his  busi- 
ness reverses;  and  end  with  several  dated  from  the  debtor's  prison. 

Polk,  James  Knox. 

This  collection,  purchased  from  the  adopted  niece  of  Mr.  Polk,  is 
rich  in  material  relating  to  the  history  of  Tennessee,  and  to  Polk's 
public  career  in  Washington,  before  and  during  his  presidency. 

Porter,  David. 

This  collection  consists  of  letter-books  and  miscellaneous  papers  of 
Commodore  Porter  during  the  years  1805-1812.  His  letter-book  while 
in  command  of  the  "Enterprise"  (1805—1807),  his  correspondence 
with  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  (1807-1808),  and  miscellaneous  papers 
covering  his  operations  at  New  Orleans  and  including  an  account  of 
the  difficulties  which  arose  in  connection  with  the  attempts  of  General 
James  Wilkinson  to  obtain  control  of  affairs  there  are  among  the 
documents  in  this  collection.  There  are  also  letters  from  John  Rodgers 
(1805-1806)  and  from  Tobias  Lear  (1797-1813). 

Prehle,  Edward. 

The  papers  of  Commodore  Edward  Preble  (25  volumes  in  all)  con- 
tain correspondence  relating  to  the  early  history  of  the  American  Navy. 
The  twelve  volumes  of  letters  extend  from  1799  to  1807,  and  cover  his 
blockade  of  Tripoli  and  his  final  attack  on  the  Tripolitan  batteries. 
Not  only  are  there  many  letters  from  his  colleagues  and  inferior  officers, 
but  there  is  a  particularly  notable  series  from  William  Eaton.  That  the 
collection  includes  also  Preble's  journal,  some  log-books,  the  ship 
signals  of  that  time,  and  two  volumes  of  his  letter-books  indicates  its 
extent  and  variety.  Lorenzo  Sabine,  who  prepared  a  biography  of 
Preble  in  1847,  presented  a  number  of  Preble's  papers  to  the  Massachu- 
setts Historical  Society.  They  are  described  as  having  special  refer- 
ence to  his  Tripolitan  campaign  and  must  once  have  formed  part  of  this 
collection  acquired  by  the  Library  of  Congress. 

De  Rochamheau. 

This  collection,  purchased  by  Congress  in  1882,  includes  eight  vol- 
umes of  De  Rochambeau  correspondence,  1780-1783,  a  brief  history 
of  the  wars  in  America,  1763-1780,  and  a  diary  kept  by  the  French 
general  during  the  winter  of  1780-1781.  There  are  in  addition  over 
500  documents  embracing  correspondence  among  the  officers  of  the 
French  army  and  with  the  French  minister  at  Philadelphia  from  1780 
to  1782. 


200  LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS. 

Schoolcraft,  Henry  R. 

Letters  and  documents  once  belonging  to  Henry  R.  Schoolcraft,  and 
relating  to  his  researches  among  the  Indians,  the  history  of  the  North- 
west, and  the  career  of  Lewis  Cass  from  1815  to  1860. 

Van  Buren,  Martin, 

This  collection  contains  the  manuscript  of  Van  Buren's  autobiog- 
raphy, prepared  late  in  life,  but  never  published,  together  with  a  re- 
markable series  of  letters  between  Van  Buren  and  Jackson,  more  than 
270  in  number,  and  most  of  them  of  a  private  and  confidential  character. 
The  letters  from  other  of  Van  Buren's  correspondents  were  such  as 
he  himself  selected  for  preservation.  The  collection  is  the  gift  of  Mrs. 
Smith  Thompson  Van  Buren,  of  New  York. 

Washington,  George. 

The  Washington  papers,  which  the  Library  of  Congress  possesses, 
exclusive  of  the  great  collection  by  that  name  transferred  from  the 
State  Department,  consists  of  the  following  documents: 

(1)  Braddock  orderly-book  in  two  volumes,  containing  Washington's 
autograph  record  of  the  campaign  of  1755;  obtained  from  the  Peter 
Force  purchase. 

(2)  Washington's  diary  when  in  attendance  upon  the  Constitutional 
Convention  of  1787;  obtained  from  the  same  source. 

(3)  Papers  in  Washington's  manuscript  on  the  Western  Expedi- 
tion, 1779. 

(4)  Many  documents  prepared  by  the  secret  service  agents,  by 
whom  Washington  obtained  information  of  the  enemy's  intentions  and 
movements. 

(5)  Correspondence  with  Rochambeau. 

(6)  The  Toner  collection,  accepted  by  Congress  in  1882,  contains 
copies  of  many  manuscripts  of  Washington,  being  the  partial  fulfil- 
ment of  a  purpose  of  Dr.  Toner  to  copy  every  manuscript  known 
to  have  been  written  by  Washington.  Among  these  papers  are  225 
press  copies  of  original  documents,  which  have  the  authenticity  of  the 
manuscripts  themselves. 

These  papers  have  been  calendared :  "  A  Calendar  of  Washington 
Manuscripts  in  the  Library  of  Congress  "  (Washington,  1901). 

Watterston,  George. 

About  300  manuscripts,  covering  the  years  1815-1849,  and  including 
many  letters  of  men  noted  in  American  political  and  literary  history. 
Mr.  Watterston  was  Librarian  of  Congress,  and  the  papers  were  pre- 
sented by  Mr.  David  Watterston. 


DIVISION   OF  MANUSCRIPTS.  201 

Winchester,  Brigadier-General  James. 
Letter-book,  January  to  March,  1815. 

Webster,  Daniel. 

The  Webster  correspondence:  Acquired  by  purchase  from  Mr. 
Charles  Greenough,  of  Boston.  The  greater  part  of  the  Webster 
papers  was  left  by  Peter  Harvey  to  the  Historical  Society  of  New 
Hampshire.  A  part,  however,  of  the  original  collection  had  been  taken 
out  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  a  biography,  and  it  is  this  which 
the  Library  has  acquired.  It  comprises  2,500  pieces,  and  includes 
naturally  the  more  important  political  and  personal  letters  both  to  and 
from  Webster.  It  serviceably  continues  the  Jackson  letters,  bringing 
the  account  of  public  affairs  down  through  a  later  period. 

Wright  and  Company  and  Poulteney  and  Moale. 

The  commercial  correspondence  (800  manuscripts)  of  these  two 
Baltimore  firms,  1844-1864. 

IV.    Foreign  Papers. 
Great  Britain. 

The  Hallin) ell-Phillips  Collection. 

This  consists  of  54  volumes  of  bills,  accounts,  inventories,  etc.,  in- 
tended to  illustrate  the  manners,  customs,  and  economic  history  of 
England  from  1632  to  1792.  These  volumes  were  in  1852  received  as 
a  gift  by  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  and  in  1866  were  transferred  to 
the  Library  of  Congress.  They  were  prepared  by  Mr.  J.  O.  Halliwell- 
Phillips,  and  contain  about  7,000  documents. 

Miscellaneous  papers. 

Various  tabular  statements  of  trade,  1640—1797. 

Two  volumes  of  protests  of  the  House  of  Lords  (transcripts),  1641- 
1735. 

An  early  volume,  undated,  of  tracts  on  the  power  of  the  sovereign. 

A  commission  and  instructions  to  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  1686. 

Reports  to  the  Lords  Commissioners  of  Trade  and  Plantations,  1726— 
1745. 

A  volume  relating  to  the  siege  of  Minorca,  1756. 

Debates  in  the  British  Parliament  (loose  printed  sheets  with  MS. 
notes),  1775-1776. 

Over  forty  volumes  of  debates  in  the  Irish  Parliament,  1776-1789. 

A  folio  volume  of  estimates  for  defraying  the  expenses  of  the  civil 
establishments  in  America  and  Australia,  1786-1787. 

Log  book  of  H.  M.  S.  "  Thunderer  ",  1833-1837. 


202  LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS. 

DIVISION    OF   MAPS   AND   CHARTS. 

The  Division  of  Maps  and  Charts  possesses  the  largest  collection  of 
maps  relating  to  America.  A  general  description  of  this  class  of  ma- 
terial may  be  found  in  the  Report  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  for 
1901  (pp.  345— 346).  For  a  full  description  see  "A  List  of  Maps  of 
America  in  the  Library  of  Congress  ",  by  P.  Lee  Phillips,  Chief  of 
the  Division  of  Maps  and  Charts,  1901  (also  printed  as  H.  Doc.  516, 
56  Cong.,  2  sess.).  In  1903  the  Kohl  collection  of  474  maps,  relating 
for  the  most  part  to  the  progress  of  discovery  in  America,  was  trans- 
ferred to  this  division  from  the  State  Department.  This  collection  is 
listed  in  Harvard  University  Library  Bibliographical  Contributions, 
No.  19. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

[For  references  to  books,  pamphlets,  articles,  reports,  etc.,  relating  to  the 
history,  functions,  methods  of  work,  publications  of  the  various  departments 
and  bureaus,  the  historical  and  descriptive  paragraphs  under  the  respective 
offices  should  be  consulted.  As  the  references  to  sources  of  information  con- 
cerning the  archives  or  manuscript  coUectiojis,  as  such,  are  much  more  scat- 
tered, a  list  is  here  given  of  all  the  important  items.] 

General. 
Annual  Report  of  the  American  Historical  Association  for  the  Year  1896,  I, 
483-485.     Report  of  Historical  Manuscripts  Commission. 

Contains  a  bibliography  of  books  and  articles  relating  to  the  Federal  archives. 
Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America,  VIII,  413-426.     Justin  Winsor,  ed. 
Notes  on  the  more  important  manuscript  sources  in  the  archives ;  with  espe- 
cial attention  to  those  in  the  State  Department. 

American  Antiquarian  Society  Proceedings,  New  Series,  II,  pp.  118-135. 
Report  of  the  Council,  by  Hon.  George  F.  Hoar,  October,  1882.  Material 
for  Historical  Study  in  Washington. 

This  account  mentions  many  collections  of  manuscripts,  but  contains  a 
number  of  errors.  For  example,  the  statement  is  made  that  the  "  Registry  of 
Deeds  has  the  documents  and  surveys  of  the  original  laying  out  of  the  City  of 
Washington."  There  is  no  ofllce  by  that  name,  and  no  such  papers  are  to  be 
found  in  the  municipal  ofllces  of  the  District  of  Columbia.  They  are,  however, 
in  the  Office  of  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds  in  the  War  Department. 

Annual  Report  of  Librarian  of  Congress,  1897,  pp.  28-32. 

A  brief  general  account  of  the  various  collections  in  the  departmental 
archives,  apparently  compiled  from  the  descriptions  in  Winsor  and  in  American 
Antiquarian  Society  Proceedings,  New  Series,  II,  pp.   118-135. 

Annual  Report  of  the  American  Historical  Association  for  the  Year  1894,  pp. 
549-561.  What  the  United  States  Government  has  done  for  History.  By 
A.  Howard  Clark. 

Includes  a  list  of  the  manuscript  volumes  in  the  State  Department  con- 
taining the  records  (other  than  military)  of  the  Revolution.  This  list  is  also 
in  S.  Doc.  22,  53  Cong.,  3  sess. 

Forum,  July,  1898.     The  Nation's  Records.     By  Adelaide  R.  Hasse. 

A  brief  article  descriptive  of  conditions  in  the  archives,  but  containing  no 
information   as   to  the   different   classes   of   material. 

Department  of  State. 
[It  should  be  noted  that  many  of  the  references  given  below  relate  to  col- 
lections that  are  in  process  of  being  transferred  to  the  Library  of  Congress 
(see  above,  p.  9).] 

203 


204  BIBLIOGRAPHY, 

History  of  the  Department  of  State.  By  William  H.  Michael.  Washington, 
1901. 

With  the  history  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library  is  an  account  of  the" 
historical  collections  contained  in  the  bureau. 

Bulletins  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library,  Nos.  1-10.  Washington, 
1893-1903. 

No.  1,  Miscellaneous  Index  of  the  Continental  Congress  papers,  which  is 
continued  in  No.  3  (pp.  22-134),  in  No.  5  (pp.  14-138),  and  in  No.  7  (pp. 
9-.126).  No.  2  is  a  Calendar  of  the  Correspondence  of  James  Monroe.  No.  3 
contains  (pp.  5-21)  a  list  indicating  the  arrangement  of  the  Washington 
Papers.  No.  4  is  a  Calendar  of  the  Correspondence  of  James  Madison ;  an 
index  to  this  has  been  issued  as  a  supplement.  No.  5  contains  (pp.  5-14)  a 
list  indicating  the  arrangement  of  the  Madison,  Jefferson,  Hamilton,  Monroe, 
and  I'ranklin  Papers.  Nos.  6  and  8  constitute  a  Calendar  of  the  Correspon- 
dence of  Thomas  Jefferson,  No.  6  relating  to  the  letters  from  him  and  No.  8  to 
the  letters  to  him.  No.  7  contains  a  list  of  the  Territorial  and  State  records 
deposited  in  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library.  No.  9  contains  (1)  the  contin- 
uation of  a  partial  miscellaneous  index  of  the  manuscripts  of  the  Continental 
Congress;  (2)  the  Documentary  History  of  the  Constitution — Madison's  Notes 
of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Federal  Convention,  with  index.  No.  10  is  a  supple- 
mentary Calendar  of  Letters  to  and  from  Jefferson,  and  also  contains  an  index 
to  the  three  parts  of  the  Jefferson  Calendar  contained  in  Nos.  6,  8,  and  10. 

Annual  Report  of  the  American  Historical  Association  for  the  Year  1894, 
pp.  281-298.  The  Historical  Archives  of  the  Department  of  State.  By 
Andrew  Hussey  Allen,  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library. 

An  account  of  the  methods  of  caring  for  the  historical  collections  in  the 
Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library,  with  especial  reference  to  their  accessibility. 

Catalogue  of  Manuscript  Books  deposited  in  the  Archives  of  the  Department 
of    State,    1774-1789,   Washington,    1835;    enlarged    edition,    1855. 
An  early  list  of  the  volumes  of  Continental   Congress  papers. 

Senate  Document  No.  22,  53d  Congress,  3d  sess. 

Contains  a  memorandum  on  the  acquisition  and  preservation  of  the  historical 
archives  in  the  Bureau  of  Rolls  and  Library,  and  an  inventory  of  the  Conti- 
nental Congress  papers. 

House  Report  No.  381,  23d  Congress,  1st  sess. 

Report  of  House  Committee  on  Foreign  Affairs,  relating  to  the  purchase  of 
the  Washington  papers,  and  containing  a  brief  statement  by  Jared  Sparks  as 
to  their  value. 

Magazine  of  American  History,  IX,  428-439.  The  Lost  and  Found  Manu- 
scripts  of   Benjamin   Franklin.     By   Theodore   F.    Dwight. 

A  general  description  of  the  Franklin  papers,  giving  the  history  of  the 
collection. 

Senate  Miscellaneous  Document  No.  21,  47th  Congress,  1st  sess. 
A  detailed  inventory  of  the  Franklin  papers. 

Annual  Report  Chief  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  A.,  1900,  Part  8,  p.  5283.  List 
of  papers  on  file  [in  Department  of  State]  relative  to  the  affairs  of  the 
Federal    District. 

The  papers  listed  are  in  the  Washington  and  Jefferson  collections. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY,  205 

Calendar  of  the  Miscellaneous  Letters  received  by  the  Department  of  State 
from  the  organization  of  the  Government  to  1820.     Washington,  1897. 

This  publication  is  considered  confidential.  It  relates  to  papers  in  the 
Bureau  of  Indexes  and  Archives. 

Calendar  of  Applications  and  Recommendations  for  Office  During  the  Presi- 
dency of  George  Washington.     By   Gaillard   Hunt,   Washington,   1901. 
The  papers  here  calendared  are  in  the  Bureau  of  Appointments. 

Treasury  Department. 
The    Treasury    Department    and    its    Various    Fiscal    Bureaus.     By    Robert 
Mayo,  Washington,  1847. 

While  dealing  primarily  with  the  functions  of  the  respective  bureaus,  this 
work  contains  descriptive  lists  of  the  current  record  books,  which  are  of  con- 
siderable value. 

South  Atlantic  Quarterly,  January,  1903.  The  Pickett  Papers.  By  J.  M. 
Callahan. 

An  account  of  the  purchase  of  these  papers  of  the  Confederate  State  Depart- 
ment, with  an  estimate  of  their  value.  They  are  in  the  Misceilanous  Division 
of  the  Office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

Department  of  War. 
List  of  Records  and  Files  of  the  War  Department.     Washington,  1890. 
(See  above,  page  73.) 

Subject  Index  of  the  General  Orders  of  the  War  Department,  1809-1900. 
Three  volumes,  covering  the  years  1809-1860,  1861-1880,  and  1881-1900, 
respectively.     Washington,  1886,  1882,  1901. 

Annual  Reports,  Department  of  War. 

In  the  annual  reports  of  the  War  Department,  particularly  in  those  of  the 
Chief  of  the  Record  and  Pension  Office,  is  much  information  relating  to  military 
records  (Revolution,  War  of  1812,  Mexican  War,  Indian  wars.  Civil  War, 
Spanish  War),  methods  of  indexing  and  arrangement.  Confederate  archives, 
etc.  Specific  references  are  as  follows :  1892,  I,  202,  635 ;  1893,  I,  172 ; 
1894,  I,  507  ;  1895,  I,  598  ;  1896,  I,  616 ;  1897,  I,  699 ;  1898,  I,  999  ;  1899,  I, 
42,  828 ;  1901,  I,  part  2,  1102,  1112  ;  1903,  I,  737 ;  19013,  IV,  201.  Many  of 
the  above  references  involve  repetitions. 

Annual  Report,  Chief  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  A.,  1895,  part  7,  p.  4150;  1900, 
part  8,  5281.  Records  relating  to  the  early  history  of  the  city  of  Wash- 
ington. 

(See  p.  100.) 

A  Sketch  of  the  History  and  Duties  of  the  Judge-Advocate-General's  Depart- 
ment, U.  S.  A.     By  M.  Dunn.     Washington,  1878. 

This  contains  (p.  15)  a  brief  statement  relating  to  the  bulk  of  records 
since  1862. 

Navy  Department. 
Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America.     By  Justin  Winsor. 

This  contains  (VII,  413)  a  critical  account,  by  J.  R.  Soley,  of  the  principal 
classes  of  records  among  the  archives  of  the  Navy  Department. 


206  BIBLIOGRAPHY, 

Literary  Collector,  January,  1904.  Naval  Manuscripts  in  National  Archives. 
By  C.  H.  Lincoln. 

Mentions  briefly  the  principal  collections  of  the  Navy  Department,  but  devotes 
especial  attention  to  the  letter-books  of  the  Marine  Committee  of  the  Con- 
tinental Congress. 

Office  Memorandum  No.  5,  Naval  War  Records  Office,  1898. 

Contains  a  list  of  the  log-books  of  U.  S.  vessels,  1861-1865,  on  file  in  the 
Navy  Department. 

Department  of  the  Interior. 
Senate  Document  194,  56th  Congress,  1st  sess.     The  History  and  Growth  of 
the  United  States  Census.     By  Carroll  D.  Wright  and  William  C.  Hunt. 
A  description  of  the  original  census  schedules  is  contained  on  pp.  76-79. 

Supreme   Court. 
United  States  Reports,  Vol.  131. 

In  the  "  Centennial  Appendix,"  pp.  xxxiv-xliv,  is  a  list  of  the  prize  appeal 
cases  decided  by  the  Committee  of  Appeals  in  the  Continental  Congress. 
(See  p.  183.) 

American  Antiquarian  Society  Proceedings,  New  Series,  II,  pp.  118-123. 
(See  p.  183.) 

Library  of  Congress. 
Library  of  Congress  Notes  for  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition,  1904.  No. 
5.     Manuscripts. 

A  brief  description  of  the  more  important  collections. 
Annual  Reports  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress. 
(For  exact  references  see  pp.  188,  202.) 

Annual  Report  of  the  American  Historical  Association  for  the  Year  1898,  p. 
35.     The  Historical  Manuscripts  in  the  Library  of  Congress. 

Annals  of  the  American  Academy  of  Political  Science,  XIV,  103. 
A  general  account  by  C.  H.   Lincoln  of  the  collections. 

Literary  Collector,  May,  1904.  Some  Manuscripts  of  Early  Presidents.  By 
C.  H.  Lincoln. 

Relates  especially  to  the  Jackson  papers. 

Annual  Report  of  the  American  Historical  Association  for  the  Year  1892,  p. 
71.  Some  Account  of  George  Washington's  Library  and  Manuscript  Rec- 
ords, and  their  Dispersion  from  Mount  Vernon.     By  J.  M.  Toner. 

Annual  Report  of  the  American  Historical  Association  for  the  Year  1901,  I, 
543.     London  Company  Records.     By  Lyon  G.  Tyler. 

The  Magazine  of  American  History.     Vol.  VIII,  Part  I,  pp.  346-350. 

The  Franklin,  Rochambeau,  and  Force  Papers.     By  Henry  P.  Johnston. 
Magazine  of  American  History,  XXIX,  371. 

Mention  of  the  London  Company  papers. 
Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America.     By  Justin  Winsor,  VI,  p.  589. 

Brief  mention  of  Force  papers. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY.  X.^_^X         207 


A  Calendar  of  Washington  Manuscripts  in  the  Library  of  Congress.  Com- 
piled under  the  direction  of  Herbert  Friedenwald.     Washington,  1901. 

A  Calendar  of  John  Paul  Jones  Manuscripts  in  the  Library  of  Congress. 
Compiled  under  the  direction  of  Charles  Henry  Lincoln,  of  the  Division  of 
Manuscripts.     Washington,   1903. 

A  List  of  Maps  of  America  in  the  Library  of  Congress.  By  P.  Lee  Phillips, 
Chief  of  the  Division  of  Maps  and  Charts.     Washington,  1901. 

Harvard  University  Library  Bibliographical  Contributions,  Volume  19,  No.  1. 
The  Kohl  Collection  of  Early  Maps.     By  Justin  Winsor. 
A  descriptive  list  of  the  maps. 


INDEX. 


"  Abaellino,"  cruise  of  the  privateer 
(1814-1815),   20 

Access  to  archives.  Department  of 
State,  3,  8,  31;  Treasury  Depart- 
ment, 32,  34,  50,  59,  67,  68,  70,  72; 
War  Department,  74,  76,  80-83,  89, 
99,  106,  108;  Department  of  Jus- 
tice, 109;  Post-Office  Department, 
115;  Navy  Department,  119;  De- 
partment of  Commerce  and  Labor, 
174,  176;  Civil  Service  Commission, 
176;  Interstate  Commerce  Commis- 
sion, 177,  178 

Accounts,  receipts,  and  expenditures 
of  public  money,  42;  Cash  account 
of  the  commission  at  Court  of 
France  (1776-9),  50;  Public  loans, 
49;  Washington's  expenses  (1775- 
84),  57;  Revolutionary  accounts, 
59,  85;  Cayuse  Wars,  64;  Public 
buildings  and  grounds  in  District 
of  Columbia,  101;  Insular  govern- 
ments, 107;  Navy  commissioners, 
137;  for  regular  administrative 
accounts  See  under  the  various  ex- 
ecutive departments  and  bureaus. 
(See  also  Continental  Loan  OflSce.) 

Adams,   H.   A.,  papers,   131 

Adams,  John,  letters,  101 

Adams,  J.   Q.,  letters,   196 

Alabama,  Territorial  papers,  8 

Alaska,  Russian  archives,  15;  Educa- 
tion in,  168 

Allen,  Ethan,  dispute  with  Benedict 
Arnold,  159 

Allen,   Ira,   correspondence,   192 

Ambler  manuscripts,   194 

Annapolis   Convention,   191 

Appointments,  State  Department, 
30;  Treasury  Department,  40; 
Department  of  Justice,  111;  Navy 
Department,  120,  125,  127;  Interior 
Department,  144,  161 

Arizona,  Territorial  papers,  8,  141 

Arkansas,   Territorial   papers,   8 

Army,  regular  and  volunteer.  (See 
Military  records;  also  various 
wars.) 

Attorneys-General,  letters  and  opin- 
ions of,  23,  110;  oflScial  records  of, 
109,  110 

Bailey,  Theodore,  papers,  131 

Bank  of  the  U.  S.,  37,  198 

15  209 


Bankers,  letters  to  foreign,  from 
Treasury  Department,  40 

Barclay,   Thomas,   letters,   196 

Barry,   John,   papers,    196 

Bell,  H.  H.,  papers,  131 

Benjamin,  Judah  P.,  letters.  (See 
Confederate  States.) 

Bensted,   Alexander,  letter,   159 

Blennerhassett,   Harman,  papers,  196 

Boston  tax  lists   (1814),  68 

Boundaries,  southern,  16,  24;  Com- 
missions for  settlement  of  disputes 
relating  to,  18;  Mason  and  Dixon's 
line,  21;   Louisiana  boundary,  25 

Bourne,  Sylvanus,  papers,  196 

Buchanan,  James,  letter,  101,  198 

Bureaus.     (See    Table    of    contents.) 

Burr,   Aaron,  conspiracy  of,  25,   121 

California,  Territorial  papers,  8; 
Operation  of  tariflF  laws  in,  38; 
Military  government  in,  86;  Span- 
ish archives  of,  161.  (See  Mexican 
war.) 

Campaign   almanacs,   182 

Canada.  (See  Great  Britain;  French 
in  America.) 

Carroll,  Charles,  papers,  196 

Cass,   Lewis,   letters,   180,   200 

Census,  original  schedules  of  (1790- 
1890),  142-144 

Central  America.  (See  South  Amer- 
ica.) 

Ceremony,  letters  of,  19 

Chase,   Salmon  P.,  papers,   196 

Chinese,  exclusion  of,  175 

Cincinnati,  Society  of,  191 

Civil  service,  records  of  Commission, 
176,  177 

Civil  War:  Miscellaneous  letters  and 
papers    sent   to    Secretary    Seward, 
29;    General    Butler    in    New    Or- 
leans,   29;    Address    of   citizens    of 
Switzerland,      29;      Blockade,     37 
Western      Gunboat      Flotilla,      58 
Pittsburg     Defence      Claims,     58 
Mississippi     Marine     Brigade,     58 
Frauds     in     Department     of     the 
West,    58;    Capture    of    Jefferson 
Davis,   58;    Navy  prize  claims,   61; 
Volunteer    records,    86;     Amnesty, 
111;  Classes  of  naval  records,  120; 
Personal   papers    of   naval   officers, 
130-134;     Surveys     and     notes    by 


210 


INDEX, 


Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  172. 
(See  Military  government;  Mili- 
tary records;  Claims;  Ord  papers; 
Confederate  States;  and  personal 
papers    of   contemporaries.) 

Claims:  Records  of  mixed  and  do- 
mestic commissions  for  the  settle- 
ment of,  18;  Papers  relating  to  the 
French  spoliation  claims,  19,  24, 
25,  42,  113,  185;  Beaumarchais 
claim,  21,  198;  Private  claims 
against  foreign  states,  24;  Ala- 
bama claims,  29;  Neapolitan  in- 
demnity, 41;  Papers  relating  to 
southern  claims,  43-49,  185;  R.  B. 
Lee  claims  commission,  58;  Pitts- 
burg defence  claims,  58;  Claims 
for  capture  of  Jefferson  Davis,  58; 
Frauds  in  Department  of  the 
West  (1861-2),  58;  Naval  prize 
claims,  61;  Slave  claims  commis- 
sions, 86;  Naval  bounty  claims,  113, 
185;  Indian  depredation  claims, 
113,  185;  Claims  against  District 
of  Columbia,  113,  185;  General 
claims  against  U.  S.,  113,  185;  In- 
dian claims,  149;  Claims  against 
executive  departments,  185;  Court 
of  Claims,  184;  In  Congress,  186. 
(See  Pensions;  Lands,  public.) 

Clay,  Henry,  papers,  196 

Clinton,  Gov.   George,  letter,  159 

Coast  Survey,  41;  Archives  of  Coast 
and   Geodetic   Survey,   171    ff. 

Cockburn,  Martin,   papers,   197 

Colonization  Society,  American,  122, 
141;  Maryland  State,  122;  Colony 
on  lie  a  Vache,  141 

Colorado,  Territorial  papers,  8;  Con- 
stitution, 15 

"  Columbia ",  log-book  of  the  ship 
(1790-1792),    22 

Columbus  Codex,  188 

Committees  of  Congress.  (See  Con- 
gress.) 

Comptroller  of  the  Treasury,  deci- 
sions of,  54 

Confederate  States:  Papers  of  the 
State  Department  (Pickett  pa- 
pers), 43;  Papers  of  the  Treasury 
Department,  48;  Post-Office  rec- 
ords, QQ'^  Captured  archives,  87; 
Surrendered  troops,  87;  Naval  pa- 
pers relating  to,  129;  Papers  of 
naval  officers,  29,  134;  Acts  of 
Congress,  191;  Letters  of  Judah  P. 
Benjamin,  191;  Naval  and  military 
papers,  191 

Congress:  Acts  and  resolutions  of, 
13;  Executive  proceedings  of  Sen- 
ate, 22;  Letters  to,  from  Secretary 


of    Treasury,    36;    Correspondence 
with  Navy  Department,  125;  Corre- 
spondence   with     Interior    Depart- 
ment,    139;     Correspondence     with 
Civil      Service     Commission,      177; 
Legislative   papers,    bills,   petitions, 
committee     papers,     journals,     re- 
ports,    etc.,     186,     187;     Plans     of 
House  of  Representatives,  193 
Connecticut :     Revolutionary     papers, 
155,  156;  Miscellaneous  papers,  192 
Constitution  of  U.  S.:    Papers  relat- 
ing to,   13;   Ratification  of  amend- 
ments by  states,  14;   Federal  Con- 
vention,   191,    200.     (See    also    pa- 
pers of  members   of  Federal  Con- 
vention.) 
Consular   archives,    6 
Consuls,  fees,  leaves  of  absence,  and 

transfers  of,  29 
Continental     Congress,     papers     and 
documents   of  and   relating   to,   10, 
182,   190,   191,   192,   193,   195,   198 
Continental   loan   office.     (See  Debt.) 
Conventions.     (See     Annapolis     Con- 
vention ;    Westminster    Convention ; 
Constitution;     and     under     various 
States. ) 
Conway,  Gen.  H.  S.,  papers,  190 
Corporations,   Bureau  of,   176 
Court.       (See         Supreme         Court; 

Claims.) 
Craven,  T.  A.  M.,  papers,  131 
Creamer,  David,  papers,  197 
Cuba:    Report  of  J.  R.  Poinsett  on, 
25;      American      occupation,      108; 
Naval  papers  relating  to,  123,  124, 
129,      130;      "Creole"      expedition, 
142.     (See  West  Indies.) 
Cura^oa,   consular  archives,  24 
Currency:    Comptroller    of,    68;    En- 
graving and  printing  of,  69 
Cushing,,  Jacob,  papers,   197 
Custom  houses,  38,  39,  41;  New  Bed- 
ford,   192;    Alexandria,    Tappahan- 
nock.  Savannah,  195 
Customs.     (See  Tariff.) 
Dahlgren,  J.   A.,   papers,   131 
Dakota,  Territorial  papers,  8,  141 
Davenport,    H.    K.,   papers,    131 
Davis,  Jefferson:   Letters  and  papers, 

28,    180;   Capture   of,   58 
Debt   of   U.    S.:    Records    of    Conti- 
nental loan-office,  51,  59,  192;  Con- 
tinental    certificates     of     indebted- 
ness, 51 ;   Records  and  accounts  of 
public  loans,  49,  51 
Delaware,    miscellaneous    papers,    193 
Detroit,  in  War  of  1812,  14 
Dickinson,  John,  letters,  193 
Dinwiddle,   Lt.   Gov.,  letters,  195 


INDEX. 


211 


Diplomatic   archives,  4,   5 
District     of     Columbia:     Territorial 
papers,    8;     Public    buildings    and 
grounds    in,    99;    Old    records    of 
City      of      Washington,      100-102; 
Claims    against,    113,    185;    Prisons 
in,    142;    Buildings   and   affairs   in, 
142;     Miscellaneous     papers,     193. 
(See  Dolly  Madison  papers.) 
Dumas,   C.   W.   F.,  letters  to  Jeffer- 
son, 22 
Du  Pont,  S.   F.,  papers,  132 
Dutch  colonies  in  America,   189 
Education:   Correspondence   of   Com- 
missioners of,   141;   Indian  schools, 
147,    148;    Records    of    Bureau    of, 
167  ff. 
Ellicott,    Andrew,    papers    and    jour- 
nal of,  24 
Ellis  papers,  197 
England.     (See    Great    Britain.) 
Executive   Departments.     (See   Table 

of  contents.) 
Executive  orders,  13 
Explorations:    Records    of,    in    naval 
archives,     126-27;     Scientific    notes 
of,   182 
Expositions:    Vienna,    29;    Paris,    29; 

Centennial,  142 
Farragut,  D.  G.,  papers,  132. 
Federal    Convention.     (See    Constitu- 
tion of  U.  S.) 
Fillmore,  Millard,  letters,  101 
Finlay,     Hugh,     surveyor     of     post 

roads,  journal,  115 
Fires.    (See  under  Losses  of  papers.) 
Fitch,  John,  papers,  197 
Florida:    Territorial   papers,   8;    Ces- 
sion   of,    15;    Provisional    govern- 
ment of,   15;   Transfer  of  archives 
of,    15;    Spanish    archives    of,    161; 
Spanish   occupation   of,    188 
Font  diary,   181,   189 
Foote,   A.   H.,  papers,   132 
Foxardo  affair,  191 
Franklin,    Benjamin,    Papers    of,    12; 
Post-office  ledger,  66  - — ■ 

Freedmen's    Bureau,    records    of,    77, 

86.     (See  Reconstruction.) 
French  and  Indian  Wars,  192,  200 
French   in    America,    189,   190 
Fritsch,  Baron  von,  papers,  197 
Fulton,  Robert,  letters  to  Navy  De- 
partment, 125 
Gallatin,    Albert,    correspondence    of, 

24 
Geological     Survey,     correspondence, 

141;  records  of,  169 
Georgia,  miscellaneous   papers,   195 
Goldsborough,  L.  M.,  papers,  132 


Grant,  U.  S.,  Letter-books  of,  1;  Let- 
ters, 180 
Great     Britain:     Neutral     commerce, 
26;    Letter-book    of    British    Naval 
Commissioners,    128;    Colonies    of, 
190;     Miscellaneous     papers,     201. 
(See  also  West  Indies;  Revolution- 
ary   War;    and    individual    states, 
formerly  colonies). 
Greene,  Nathanael,  papers,  159,  197 
Halderman,  John  A.,  papers,  180 
Halliwell-Phillips  collection,  201. 
Hamilton,  Alexander,  papers  of,  12 
Hassler,   F.   R.,  letters,   171 
Hayes,   R.   B.,   letters,   180 
Henry,  James  M.,  letter,  159 
Henry,   John,   papers   of,   26 
"Hope",  journal  of  the  ship   (1790- 

1792),  22 
House  Tax  Insurrection,  24 
Idaho:     Territorial    papers,    8,     141; 
Constitution     and     admission     into 
Union,  16 
Illinois,  Territorial  papers,  8,  14 
Immigration,   records   of   Bureau   of, 

175 
Impressment  of  seamen,  24,  25 
Indiana:    Territorial    papers,    8,    14; 

"  Indiana   treason   cases ",    92 
Indians:  Treaties  with,   13,  110,  148; 
Chickasaw     funds,     40;     Rolls     of 
friendly  Indians,  58;  Accounts,  61; 
Depredations   of,    113,    185;    Corre- 
spondence    of     Commissioners     of 
Indian    Affairs,    141;    Correspond- 
ence of  Secretary  of  Interior,  145; 
Files    of    office    of    Indian    affairs, 
146-149;   Removal  of  Indians,  149; 
Lands,   149,   164;   Trade  with,   149; 
North  Carolina  Indians,   159;  Zuiii 
Indians,       189.     (See      Schoolcraft 
papers;   Indian  Wars.) 
Indian   Wars:    Rolls   of  Wayne  and 
St.  Clair  wars,  59,  85;  Accounts  of 
Cayuse    wars,    64;    Sac    and    Fox, 
Black  Hawk,  Creek  and  Seminole, 
New  Mexico  Indian,  86.     (See  Ord 
papers.) 
Insolvency,    letters    to    Secretary    of 
Treasury    from    Commissioners    of, 
40 
Insurrection.     (See    House    Tax    In- 
surrection ;    Whiskey    Insurrection ; 
Philippine  Insurrection.) 
Internal  Revenue,  41,  42;  Letters  of 
the      Commissioners      (1790-1808), 
67;  List  of  Collectors,  68;   Bonds, 
68;   Reports  of  agents,  68;   Corre- 
spondence, 68 
Interstate      commerce,      records      of 
Commission,  177,  178 


212 


INDEX. 


Jackson,  Andrew;  removal  of  de- 
posits, 37;  papers,  101,  197,  200 

Jamestown,  manuscripts  relating  to, 
194 

Japan:  Perry's  mission  to,  123; 
Negotiations   with,   124 

Jefferson,  Thomas:  Papers  of,  11; 
Journal  kept  by  private  secretary 
of,  26;  Letters  relating  to  city  of 
Washington,  101;  Manuscripts  in 
library  of,  194;  Letters,  196.  (See 
Dumas.) 

Johanna,  trouble  of  Dr.  Wilson  with 
king  of,  130 

Johnson,  Andrew,  papers,  101,  198 

Jones,  John  Paul,  papers,  198 

Kansas,   Territorial  papers,  8 

Kentucky:  Slave  claim  commission, 
86;  Miscellaneous  papers,  195 

Kosloff,  N.,  consul-general  of  Rus- 
sia, arrest  of,  26 

Kossuth  and  Hungarian  refugees, 
123 

Labor,  Bureau  of,  174 

Lands,  public:  Correspondence  of 
Secretary  of  Treasury  relating  to, 
37;  Insular  possessions,  106;  Cor- 
respondence of  General  Land  Of- 
fice, 140;  Records  of  General  Land 
Office,  160  ff. 

"  La  Virgin  ",  log-book  and  account- 
book  of  the  steamer,  28 

Lear,  Tobias,  letters,  199 

Lee,  R.  E.,  letter,  180 

Legislative   papers.     (See    Congress.) 

"  Lexington  ",  log-book  of  ship  (1807- 
1808),  26 

Liberia,  28 

Libraries:  Department  of  State,  8; 
War  Department,  75;  Judge- Advo- 
cate-General's Office,  93;  Office  of 
Indian  Affairs,  146;  Patent  Office, 
167;  Bureau  of  Education,  168; 
Bureau  of  Labor,  175;  Civil  Ser- 
vice Commission,  176;  Interstate 
Commerce  Commission,   178 

Life-Saving  Service,  41,  71 

Light-House   Board,  41,  174 

Lincoln,  Abraham:  Death  of,  29; 
Trial  of  "Lincoln  conspirators", 
92;   Letters,   180 

Livingston,  Edward,  claims  to  bat- 
ture   in   New   Orleans,   16 

Loans,  public.     (See  Debt.) 

Local  records  and  papers.  (See 
under   various   States.) 

Log-books:  Naval  vessels,  136,  181, 
191;  Other  vessels,  22,  26,  28 

London  Company,  records,  194 

Losses  of  papers:  By  fire,  3,  32,  33, 
49,  50,  52,  57,  60,  62,  64,  66,  74,  114, 


115,  117,  119,  144,  160,  167,  186;  By 
official  destruction,  as  useless,  3,  33, 
50,  52,  55,  57,  61,  62,  64,  66,  67,  69, 
70,  71,  79,  88,  92,  93,  94,  95,  96,  98, 
104,  105,  115,  145,  146,  153,  160,  167, 
169,  173,  174 

Louisiana:  Territorial  papers,  14; 
Correspondence  of  Governor  Clai- 
borne, 16;  Purchase  of,  16;  Bound- 
ary of,  16,  25;  Journal  of  Iberville 
and  Bienville,  regarding  establish- 
ment of  French  in,  25;  General 
Butler  in  New  Orleans,  29;  Slave 
papers,  195;  Gen.  Wilkinson  in 
New  Orleans,  199 

Loyalist  papers,  190 

Madison,  James,  papers  of,  11,  101 

Madison,   Mrs.   Dolly,  papers,   198 

McHenry,  James,  letters,  196 

McKean,  W.   W.,  papers,   132 

Maine,  Territorial  papers,  8 

Maps:  Military  engineer  maps  and 
charts,  98;  Of  city  of  Washington, 
102;  Public  lands,  163,  164;  Coast 
and  Geodetic  Survey,  172;  In 
Library  of  Congress,  202 

Marine  Corps,  127,  137 

Marine  hospitals,  41,  71 

Marine  papers  of  vessels  clearing  at 
various  ports  (1789-1808),  42; 
Marine  documents,  173 

Maryland:  Slave  claim  commission, 
86;  State  Colonization  Society,  122; 
Miscellaneous  papers,  193 

Mason  and  Dixon,  journal  of,  21 

Massachusetts :  Miscellaneous  mili- 
tary papers  (1775-1820),  154,  155, 
190,  191;  Miscellaneous  papers, 
192.  (See  Custom  houses,  Boston 
Tax  List.) 

Merchant  marine,  173 

Mervine,  William,  papers,  132 

Meteorological  records,  105 

Mexican  War:  Causes  of,  28;  Volun- 
teer records,  86;  Accounts,  86; 
Naval  operations,  123;  Negotia- 
tions for  peace,  191.  (See  Polk 
papers.) 

Mexico:  Revolution,  16;  Jesuits  in, 
20;  Report  on  affairs  in,  by  J.  H. 
Robinson,  26;  Naval  papers  relat- 
ing to,  124;  Spanish  in,  189.  (See 
Ord  papers.) 

Michigan,  Territorial  papers,  8,  14, 
16,    17.     (See  Schoolcraft  papers.) 

Military  government:  California,  New 
Mexico  and  Reconstruction  dis- 
tricts, 86;  Insular  possessions,  105- 
107;  Cuba,  108.  (See  Reconstruc- 
tion.) 

Military  Records:  General  classes  of, 


INDEX. 


213 


76;  Records  of  Regular  Army,  86, 
88;  Records  of  volunteer  armies, 
77,  78,  86,  88;  Pay  and  muster 
rolls,  58,  59,  77;  Inspections,  89, 
90,  91;  Military  justice  (courts 
martial,  courts  of  inquiry,  and 
military  commissions),  91,  191; 
Military  information,  75;  Military 
supplies  (quartermaster's  depart- 
ment), 84,  85,  86,  93;  (commissary 
department)  94;  (ordnance  de- 
partment) 103;  Medical  and  Hos- 
pital records,  77,  78,  94,  95;  Pay 
of  the  army,  95,  96;  Military  sig- 
naling, 105;  Prisoners  of  war,  19, 
77,  87;  Discontinued  commands,  77, 
86;  Military  maps,  charts,  surveys, 
98,  99;  Engineer's  records,  97,  98; 
Provost-Marshal-General's  bureau, 
86.  (See  Secretary  of  War;  Mili- 
tary government ;  Confederate 
states ;  Accounts ;  Claims ;  and  under 
the  various  wars.) 

Minnesota,  Territorial  papers,  8. 
(See  Schoolcraft  papers.) 

Mint  of  the   U.   S.,  41,  69 

Miscellaneous  archives.  State  Depart- 
ment, 7 

Mississippi:  Territorial  papers,  8,  17; 
Lands  in,  17,  23;  Constitution  of 
(1869),  17 

Missouri:  Territorial  papers,  8,  14; 
Slave  claim  commission,  86 

Money,  public:  Deposits  of,  37;  Re- 
moval of  deposits,  37;  Correspond- 
ence with  depositories,  disbursing 
agents,  etc.,  41;  Record  of  expen- 
ditures and  receipts  of,  42.  (See 
Accounts;   Debt.) 

Monroe,  James,  papers  of,  12,  101 

Montana:  Territorial  papers,  8,  141; 
Admission  into  Union,  17 

Morris,  Robert,  papers,  196,   198 

Morse,  S.  F.  B.,  letters.  (See  Vail 
papers.) 

Naval  records:  Pay  and  muster  rolls, 
61,  137;  Establishment  of  navy,  85; 
Navy  commissioners'  records,  128, 
136,  137;  Yards  and  docks,  128; 
Construction,  repair,  and  equipment 
of  vessels,  128,  136,  137;  Courts 
martial  and  courts  of  inquiry,  138; 
Correspondence  with  officers,  120- 
122;  Squadron  letters,  122-125; 
Executive  correspondence,  125; 
Congressional  correspondence,  125; 
General  corespondence,  125;  Ex- 
ploring expeditions,  126;  Marine 
Corps,  127,  138;  Lists  of  officers, 
130,  160;  Personal  records  of  of- 
ficers,   135;    Orders,    135;     Enlist- 


ments, 135;  Prize  lists,  129;  Log- 
books, 136;  Admiral  Gregory's 
office,  137;  Loaned  papers  of  of- 
ficers, 130-134;  Corporal  punish- 
ment and  spirit  rations,  129.  (See 
Barry;  John  Paul  Jones;  Porter; 
Preble  papers;  Continental  Con- 
gress; and  under  various  wars.) 

Navigation,  records  of  office  of  com- 
missioner of,   173 

Navy.     (See  Naval  Records.) 

Nebraska,    Territorial    papers,    8 

Nevada,   Territorial  papers,  8. 

New  England  Confederacy,  192 

New  Hampshire:  Revolutionary  forces, 
153;  Miscellaneous  papers,  191 

New  Jersey:  Revolutionary  papers, 
157;  Miscellaneous  papers,   193 

New  Mexico:  Territorial  papers,  8, 
141;  Constitution  (1890),  17;  In- 
dian war  in,  86;  Military  govern- 
ment in,  86;  Letters  of  Governor 
Calhoun,  146;  Spanish  in,  181; 
Status  of  citizens  of,  185;  Claim 
of  Texas  on,  185;  Zuili  Indians, 
189;  Spanish  and  Mexican  archives, 
196 

New   Orleans.     (See  Louisiana.) 

New  York:  Revolutionary  papers, 
156,  157;  Miscellaneous  papers,  193 

North  Carolina:  Legislative  docu- 
ments (1777),  21;  Abandoned  lands 
in,  110;  Revolutionary  papers,  159; 
Cherokees,  159;  Miscellaneous  pa- 
pers, 195 

North  Dakota,  Constitution  and  ad- 
mission into  Union,  171.  (See 
Dakota.) 

Northwest  Territory,  papers  of,  14, 
17,  191 

Ohio,  Territorial  papers,  8,  18 

Ord,  Gen.  E.  O.  C,  papers,  179 

Ordinance  of  1787,  191 

Oregon,  Territorial  papers,  8.  (See 
Schoolcraft  papers.) 

Orleans  Territory,  Territorial  papers, 
8 

Pacific  railway,  142 

Pardons,  executive.  111 

Patents:  Correspondence  of  Com- 
missioners of,  140;  Archives  of 
Patent  Office,  166,  167  ' 

Patterson,  T.   H.,  papers,  132 

Pennsylvania:  Whiskey  Insurrection, 
23;  House  Tax  Insurrection,  24; 
Revolutionary  papers,  157 

Pensions :  Correspondence  between 
Secretary  of  Interior  and  Commis- 
sioner of,  140;  Records  of  Pension 
Bureau,   150   ff. 

Petitions  in  Congress,   186,   187 


214 


INDEX. 


Philippine  insurgent  records,   107 

Pickett  papers,  43 

Pickering,    Gen.    Timothy,   letter,   159 

Pierce,  Franklin,  letter,  101 

Pirates:  Depredations  of,  27;  Span- 
ish   (1835),  28 

Polk,  James  K.,  papers  of,  1,  199 

Porter,  David,  papers,  199 

Porto  Rico.  (See  Military  records, 
West  Indies.) 

Postmaster-General:  Letters  and  or- 
ders, 115,  116;  Records  of  Assist- 
ant Postmaster-General,  115,  116 

Post-Office:  Suits,  113;  Establishment 
of  post-offices,  116;  Post-Office 
ledgers,  66 

Poulteney   and   Moale,   papers,  201 

Preble,  Edward,  papers,   199 

Preble,   G.    H.,   papers,    132 

Presidents  of  the  United  States: 
Papers  of,  1;  Letters  from  Secre- 
tary of  Treasury,  35;  Letters  relat- 
ing to  city  of  Washington,  101 ;  Cor- 
respondence with  Secretary  of 
Navy,  125;  Correspondence  with  In- 
terior Department,  139,  140;  Corre- 
spondence with  Civil  Service  Com- 
mission, 177.  (See  also  under  in- 
dividual Presidents.) 

Prisons,  federal,  142 

Proclamations,  presidential,  13 

Provost-Marshal-General,  records  of 
bureau  of  (1863-1866),  86 

Quebec,  Arnold's  expedition  against, 
156 

Radford,  WiUiam,  papers,  132 

Randolph,  Edmund,  letters,  196 

Randolph,  John,  letter,  181" 

Reconstruction:  Captured  and  aband- 
oned property,  35,  36,  48;  Records 
of  military  government,  77,  86. 
(See  Johnson  papers.) 

Representatives,  House  of.  (See 
Congress.) 

Revere,  Paul,  letters  to  Navy  Depart- 
ment, 125 

Revolution,  War  of:  Orderly  books, 
journals,  diaries,  rolls,  and  miscel- 
laneous papers,  21,  153-160,  190, 
191;  Prisoners,  21,  159,  160;  French 
in,  191,  199;  Forton  prisoners,  21; 
Clinton  annotations,  22;  List  of 
negroes  taken  from  Charleston,  22; 
Accounts,  57,  59;  Transfers  of  mil- 
itary records  of,  84;  Army  returns, 
84;  Records  of  Quartermaster's 
department,  84;  Prize  appeal  cases, 
182.  (See  Loyalist  papers;  Great 
Britain;  Washington  papers;  Con- 
tinental Congress  papers;  and  per- 
sonal  papers    of   contemporaries. 


Rhind,  A.   C,  papers,   132 

Rhode  Island:  Depredations  by  Brit- 
ish vessels,  14;  Revolutionary  pa- 
pers, 155,  192 

Roe,  F.  A.,  papers,  133 

Rochambeau,  De,  papers,  199 

Rodgers,  John,  letters,    199 

Rowan,   S.   C,  papers,  133 

St.  Clair,  Gov.  Arthur,  papers,  191 

Sands,    B.   F.,   papers,   133 

"  Savannah  ",  log-book  of  the  steamer, 
181 

Schoolcraft,  Henry  R.,  papers,  180, 
200 

Scientific  manuscripts,  182.  (See 
Vail  papers;   Hassler  letters.) 

Secret  Service,  70 

Secretary  of  Agriculture,  corre- 
spondence of,  170 

Secretary  of  Interior,  correspondence 
of,   139   flF.,   145,   146 

Secretary  of  the  Navy,  correspond- 
ence of,  119  ff.  (See  Naval  Rec- 
ords.) 

Secretary  of  Treasury,  correspond- 
ence of,  32-41 

Secretary  of  War,  official  records  of, 
75,  85.     (See  Military   Records.) 

Senate  of  U.  S.     (See  Congress.) 

Sheridan,  Gen.  P.  H.,  letters,  180 

Sherman,  Gen.  W.  T.,  letters,  179 

Siam.     (See  Halderman  papers.) 

Slavery:  Petitions  against,  186;  Pa- 
pers relating  to  slaves,  181,  195; 
Slave-trade,  122,  141,  195;  Slave 
claim  commission,  86 

Smith,    Robert,   letters,   196 

Smithsonian  Institution,  administra- 
tive records  of,  179 

South  America:  Revolt  of  Spanish 
provinces,  26;  Depredations  of 
privateers  in  waters  of  (1819),  27; 
Correspondence  of  J.  B.  Prevost 
relative  to  revolt  of  Spanish  prov- 
inces, 27;  Controversy  with  Buenos 
Ayres  belligerents  (1844),  43;  Naval 
records  relating  to,  121,  122,  123, 
124,  125,  126,  127;  Spanish  in,  189 

South  Carolina:  Revolutionary  pa- 
pers, 159;  Miscellaneous  papers, 
195 

South  Dakota:  Constitution  and  ad- 
mission into  Union,  18.  (See 
Dakota.) 

Southwest  Territory,  papers  of,  14, 
18 

Spanish  in  America,  181,  188,  189, 
196 

Spanish  War:  Military  records,  78; 
naval  bounty  claims,  113,  185 


INDEX. 


215 


Special  agents  (Treasury  Depart- 
ment), reports   of,  39 

Stamp  acts  in  America,  190 

States,  papers  of,  14.  (See  also  un- 
der individual  states.) 

Steam,  application  of,  to  navigation, 
197 

Steamboat  Inspection,  41;  records  of 
office  of,  173 

Stoddert,  Benjamin,  letters,  196 

Stribling,  C.  K.,  papers,  133 

Stuart,  J.  E.  B.,  letter,  182 

Supervising  architect,  records  of,   70 

Supreme  Court,  records  of,  182  ff. 
(See  Chase  papers.) 

Tariff:  French  imports  under  tariffs 
of  1846  and  1857,  28;  Admin- 
istration of  tariflF  laws,  suits  under, 
etc.,  36,  37,  38,  112;  Insular  pos- 
sessions, 106;  Petitions  to  Con- 
gress, 186 

Taylor,  Zachary,  letter,  101 

Telegraph.     (See  Vail  papers.) 

Tennessee:  Territorial  papers,  18; 
Tennessee  Land  Company,  23; 
Slave  claim  commission,  86.  (See 
Johnson  papers;  Polk  papers.) 

Territories,  papers  of,  8,  14,  141;  (see 
also  under  individual  territories 
and  states) ;  Fiscal  relations  in  the 
U.  S.,  40 

Texas:  Constitution  (1866),  18;  Ar- 
chives of  U.  S.  legation  in,  28; 
Debt,  41;  Tariff,  182;  Claim  on 
New  Mexico,  185;  Petitions  relat- 
ing to  admission  of,  186;  Spanish 
in,  189 

Treasurer  of  U.  S. ;  Correspondence 
of,  52;  Accounts  of,  53 

Treaties:  With  foreign  states,  13; 
With  Indians,  13,  110;  Papers  of 
commissioners  for  formation  of 
(1783-1787),  22;  Tench  Coxe  on 
treaty  with  England,  25;  Negotia- 
tions for  commercial  treaty  with 
European  powers,  27;  With  Great 
Britain    (1854),  28 

Tripolitan   War,    191,    199 

Tyler,  John,  letter,  101 

Useless  papers,  destruction  of,  (See 
under  Losses  of  Papers.) 

Utah:  Territorial  papers,  8,  141; 
Polygamy  in,  142 

Vail  papers,  181 

Van  Buren,  Martin,  papers,  101,  200 

Vermont,  miscellaneous  papers,  192 


Vernon- Wager  papers,  189 
Virginia:   Colonial   forces,  20;   Revo- 
lutionary papers,   158,  159;   Claims 
against,   158;   Miscellaneous  papers 
and  legislative  records,  194,  195 
"  Virginius  ",  seizure  of  ship,  130 
Voyages,  early,  189 
Walke,  H.,  papers,  133 
Walker,  Benjamin,  letters,  196 
War   of   1812:    Detroit,    14;    Records 
of,   19;   Prisoners   of  war,   19,   128, 
181;    Sea    fights,    20;    Proclamation 
of   General   Hull,   25;    Attitude  of 
Spain,    25;    Proclamation    of    Brig. 
Gen.   Alexander   Smith,  26;   Claims 
for    property    taken,    58;    Military 
records,  85;   Inspection  report,  89; 
Journal      of      General      Jackson's 
march    (1814),  99;   Naval  captures, 
110;    Naval    records,    121;    Opera- 
tions on  the  Potomac,  191;   Battle 
of  New  Orleans,   198 
Warren,  Joseph,  letters,  192 
Wars.      (See     French     and     Indian; 
Revolutionary;  Tripolitan;  War  of 
1812;   Mexican;   Indian;   Civil;   and 
Spanish.) 
Washington,    City   of.     (See   District 

of   Columbia. ) 
Washington:     Territorial    papers,    8, 
18,    141;    Constitution    and    admis- 
sion into  Union,  18 
Washington,  George,  papers  and  let- 
ters of,  11,  57,  101,  159,  200 
Watterston,  George,  papers,  200 
Wayne  and  St.  Clair  Wars,  59,  85 
Weather.     (See     Meteorological     rec- 
ords.) 
Webster,  Daniel,  papers,  •  201 
Welles,  Gideon,  papers,  133 
Western  lands,  14 

Western     Territory,     Territorial    pa- 
pers, 8 
West  Indies:  Tour  of  British,  by  R. 
M.    Harrison    (1827-8),   26;    Naval 
papers  relating  to,  123;  Spanish  in, 
189;  British  in,  189 
Westminster  Conventions,  192 
Whiskey  Insurrection,  23,  68 
Wilkes,  Charles,  papers,  133 
Winchester,    Brig.    Gen.    James,    pa- 
pers, 201 
Wright  and  Company,  papers,  201 
Wyoming:  Territorial  papers,  8,  141; 

Constitution  and  memorial,  18 
Yazoo  claims,  23 


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